DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i02.050

Pages: 783-788

Malaria in pregnancy entails a grave risk to the mother and fetus. Currently 25 million pregnant women are at risk for malaria. According to the report of World Health Organization (WHO), malaria accounts for over 10,000 maternal and 200,000 neonatal deaths per year. The aim of study was to know the incidence and type of malaria complicating pregnancy in our locality, i.e. in and around Raichur, with the aim to know the complications, outcome and response to treatment. Results show incidence of Plasmodium vivax 58%, Plasmodium falciparum (17%), mixed 25% of all malaria positive cases in pregnancy in and around this city. Chief obstetric complications were severe anemia, preterm labor, low birth weight babies (42%), oligoamnios (20%), and PPH requiring blood transfusion in one case, renal failure requiring dialysis in one case, one neonatal death, mild jaundice in two cases and no maternal deaths or IUD in the present series. Limitations of study: Only twelve cases were recruited, and ten cases could be studied. This study shows that all pregnant women with fever should be screened for malaria, and presumptive treatment with chloroquine should be started. All malarial positive cases should be treated with therapeutic doses of chloroqrine, and if not responding, preferred drug is artisunate injection followed by artisunate tablets.