Prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnancy

Abstract

Malaria in pregnancy is a substantial public health issue in many tropical countries. However, its prevention and treatment have been hindered because of fears of adverse drug effects in pregnant women recruited to intervention studies. This article details the pharmacological agents and management strategies currently or potentially available for use in pregnant women with or at risk of malaria. There are deficiencies in pharmacokinetic, tolerability, safety and efficacy data for even well-established drugs and combinations. This can have serious implications for the design of rational dose regimens. Approaches such as intermittent preventive treatment are increasingly employed in endemic areas with proven benefits, but the emergence of parasite drug resistance means that new strategies and drug regimens should be continually evaluated.