Malaria Prevention Treatment
Malaria Prevention Treatment
Malaria Prevention Treatment
The standard
In malarious areas, all pregnant women should sleep under an insecticide-
treated bednet (ITN). In addition, in areas of stable transmission of
ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĴȱ
preventive treatment (IPT). Pregnant women suspected of having malaria
should be assessed and treated in accordance with national protocols. In
the postnatal period, both the mother and the baby should sleep under an
insecticide-treated bednet.
Aim
To reduce the incidence of negative outcomes in women and their babies due to
malaria during pregnancy.
Requirements
A national policy and guidelines on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malaria in
pregnancy are available and are correctly implemented.
Health providers have been trained and are competent in: malaria-related risks during
pregnancy; administration of IPT; advising on the use of ITNs; and diagnosis and
treatment of malaria during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period.
Women have access to maternity care, particularly in the antenatal period.
Antimalarials for IPT and treatment of symptomatic malaria and ITNs are available and
ěǯ
Health education activities to increase community awareness of malaria prevention and
treatment are carried out.
In areas of stable falciparum malaria transmission give all pregnant women at least two
ȱȱȱĞȱȱǻŘȱȱřȱǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
case of fever. Doses should be given at an interval at least one month. To ensure that
women receive at least two doses, IPT should be carried out during routine visits to the
antenatal clinic. WHO currently recommends a schedule of four antenatal clinic visits,
ȱȱȱĞȱǯ
In malaria-endemic areas, encourage all pregnant women to sleep under an ITN from
as early in pregnancy as possible and to continue using an ITN during the postpartum
period, together with their babies. They should also be encouraged to seek care if the
¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĜȱǯ
2006
Assess any pregnant woman with anaemia and/or fever who has been exposed to
malaria and treat her for malaria according to country guidelines.
Standards 1.7 M a l a r i a preve nti o n and t reat m ent 2
Give advice on preventive measures to all pregnant women living in or travelling to malarious
areas.
Record the treatment provided in the woman’s antenatal care card.
Audit
Input indicators
A national policy and standards and locally adapted guidelines on malaria in pregnancy are
available in health facilities.
Antimalarial drugs and ITNs are available in antenatal clinics and/or accessible through the
commercial market.
Outcome indicators
Incidence of complications (anaemia, severe malaria, abortion, preterm delivery) in the mother.
Perinatal/neonatal mortality and morbidity (stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight,
anaemia, congenital malaria).
Awareness of women and their families of the risk of malaria for themselves and their babies.
Rationale
ȱȱě
ȱȱěȱȱȱȱ maternal anaemia. Maternal malaria infection
during pregnancy on maternal, fetal and ȱȱȱřŖƖȱȱȱȱȱ
ȱȱȱȱĚ¢ȱ¢ȱPlasmodium of low birth weight that can be prevented
falciparumǯȱȱǰȱȱȱŘśȱȱ during pregnancy. Maternal malaria infection
pregnancies are threatened by malaria each ȱȱȱȱȱřȮŞƖȱȱȱȱ
¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱŘȮŗśƖȱȱ deaths (1). In areas of high and moderate
(stable) malaria transmission, adult women
ȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȱ
in pregnant women are asymptomatic.
Malaria during pregnancy in areas Nevertheless, these asymptomatic infections
of high or moderate (stable) transmission contribute to the development of severe
anaemia in the mother, resulting in an
increased risk of maternal mortality and
Acquired immunity high In the absence of HIV morbidity. The health of the fetus and infant
ǰȱęȱȱ ȱěȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ
second pregnancies at
second half of pregnancy. Malarial infection
Asymptomatic infection highest risk
of the placenta and maternal anaemia due
IPT, ITNs, case to malaria contribute to low birth weight
management of malaria and preterm birth, which lead to higher
Placental sequestration and anaemia infant mortality and morbidity and impaired
Altered placental integrity
Anaemia development of the child. Stable transmission
predominates in Africa south of the Sahara,
Less nutrient transport
ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ
burden of malaria infections during pregnancy.
In these areas of high or moderate (stable)
Higher infant
Low birth weight ȱǰȱȱȬȱěȱȱ
mortality and
morbidity
¢ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ
pregnancies exposed to malaria (2).
Standards 1.7 M a l a r i a preve nti o n and t reat m ent 3
In areas of epidemic and low (unstable) coverage is relatively high and will further
malaria transmission, adult women have no ǯȱ¢ǰȱȱȱȱ
ęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱȱ best entry point for reaching pregnant women
clinical illness if they have parasitaemia. with this intervention (7,9,10).
Pregnant women with no immunity are at
risk of dying from severe malarial disease Studies in Kenya and Malawi have
and/or experiencing spontaneous abortion, demonstrated that more doses of IPT may be
premature delivery, low birth weight or ęȱȱ
Ȭȱȱ ǯȱȱ
stillbirth. All pregnant women are at similar ȱ ǰȱȱȱĞȱȱ¢ȱ
risk for malarial infection, irrespective of ȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ
¢ǯȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱ obtained in uninfected women with two doses
trimester, and prematurity is common in the over the entire pregnancy (5). No adverse
ȱǯȱȱȱȱ ěȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ
pregnancy commonly associated with P. infants, of IPT given in the second and third
falciparum infection include hypoglycaemia, trimesters of pregnancy (2,5).
hyperpyrexia, severe haemolytic anaemia and
pulmonary oedema (2). The use of an ITN by a pregnant woman
ęȱȱ ȱȱȱ¢ǯȱȱ
HIV infection diminishes a pregnant woman’s on adults and children indicate that ITNs
ability to control P. falciparum infections. The reduce the risk of malarial infection and
prevalence and intensity of malaria infection overall mortality (11,12). In highly malarious
during pregnancy is higher in women who are western Kenya, studies indicate that women
HIV-infected. Women with HIV infection are ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱęȱ
more likely to have symptomatic disease and four pregnancies delivered approximately
to be at increased risk of malaria-associated ŘśƖȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ
adverse birth outcomes. Multigravidae with gestational age or born prematurely than
HIV infection are similar to primigravidae women who were not protected by ITNs (13).
without HIV infection in terms of their In endemic areas, priority should be given to
¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ developing antenatal clinic-based programmes
malaria infection. that provide both IPT and ITNs, along with
other essential preventive interventions. ITNs
ȱěȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȮȱȱ¢ȱ¢¢ȱ
cause malaria in humans (P. vivax, P. malariae ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱ
and P. ovale) are less clear. There is a need for repelling them, thereby driving them from
ȱȱĴȱęȱȱȱȱP. vivax the vicinity of sleepers. Because of their
infection on the health of pregnant women and ȱěȱȱȱȱȱ
neonates. reducing malaria-related illness and death,
ITNs are being promoted for use through both
public and private sector outlets in African
Ĝ¢ȱȱě
countries.
ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱěȱ
strategy for reducing the risk of severe ITNs are still recommended for areas with
anaemia (2,3), placental and peripheral unstable malaria transmission, whereas IPT
parasitaemia (2–5), low birth weight (4–6) cannot be recommended for these areas
and perinatal death (3) in primigravidae and because of lack of evidence. Studies should be
secundigravidae living in malaria-endemic carried out in areas of low/unstable malaria
ǰȱȱȱȱȱĜȱȱȱ transmission and where the parasite is P. vivax.
case management of clinical malaria (5).
¢ǰȱȱȱěȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ£ȱȱȱę¢ȱ
sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, because of its assessed the willingness of people to pay for
¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱĜ¢ȱȱ ITNs in an Indian rural area (14)ǯȱȱŘŖƖȱ
reproductive-age women and feasibility for
of the population was unwilling to pay any
use in programmes as it can be delivered as
amount of money for ITNs. Of those willing
a single-dose treatment under observation
ȱ¢ǰȱȱřŖƖȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
by the health worker (1,2,5,7). Nevertheless,
ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǧŗȮŘȱ
a study in Malawi showed that, even if IPT
per net.
is adopted as national policy, obtaining a
wide coverage of pregnant women and
Operational problems relate, among others, to
ȱěȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ
ȱĜ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ
achievable (8)ǯȱȮěȱȱȱ
ANC coverage (7).
IPT are based on the assumption that ANC
Standards 1.7 M a l a r i a preve nti o n and t reat m ent 4
The table below summarizes the evidence from the most relevant studies. The level of evidence is
ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱŗȱǻȱǼȱȱŚȱǻ ȱǼǯȱȱȱȱ
For details, see also the Introduction to the Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Care and the Process to
develop the Standards for Maternal and Neonatal CareȱȱĴDZȦȦ ǯ ǯȦȏ¢ȏȦ
publications/en. For an overview of a comprehensive list of evidence, please refer to the reference
section of the standard.
Study Outcomes
ȱǭȱ
ǻ¢ȱǭȱȱ ȱǭȱĴ linked for the Results
ȱǼ Standard
řǯȱ ȱǭȱ ŗŚȱǰȱŞŝŜŞȱ ȱ To assess drug ȱ¢¡ȱȱ
Gülmezoglu (in some studies ěȱȱ
1st and 2nd All women
ŘŖŖř only primigravidae preventing clinical
pregnancies only
included) malaria and its
Most recent
ȱȱ Maternal NSb NS
substantive ŗřȱȱȱȱ
pregnant women mortality ŘȱǰȱŝŝŘȱ ŗ¢ǰȱŗŖŚşȱ
amendment, ǰȱŗȱȱ
living in malarious women
¢ȱŘŖŖŘ Baseline risk areas
Severe antenatal Severe antenatal min. NNT cȱŜřȱǻŚŞȮ —
Interventions: ŗŖŞǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
anaemia anaemia
Systematic antimalarial drug
ȮȱȱŚƖȱ (haemoglobin ¡ǯȱȱŗŗȱǻŞȮŗşǼ
regimens described
Ȯȱ¡ȱŘŚƖȱ ǀŞȦǼȱ ŚȱǰȱŘŞŖşȱ
as “prophylaxis”
1++ ǻ¢¢ȱȱ women
Perinatal death
ȮȱȱŗŗȦŗŖŖŖȱ given weekly) or Antenatal ȱśȱǻśȮŝǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱŗŖȱǻŝȮřřǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
Ȯȱ¡ȱŗŝŞȦŗŖŖŖȱ as “presumptive parasite ŜȱǰȱŘŚşśȱ ŘȱǰȱřŘŞȱ
treatment” prevalence women
Low birth weight (typically SP a given
ȮȱȱşƖȱ Ĵ¢Ǽ
Ȯȱ¡ȱřŚƖ Perinatal death ǯȱȱřřŝȱ NS
ǻŗşřȮşŖşŖǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ŚȱǰȱŘŞşŖȱ
¡ǯȱȱŘŗȱ neonates
ǻŗŘȮśŜŘǼȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
řȱǰȱŗşŞŜȱ
neonates
Low birth ǯȱȱŘśȱǻŘŖȮřŝǼȱ NS
weight ¡ǯȱȱŜȱǻśȮŗŖǼȱȱ ŘȱǰȱŗŚřŞ
ŜȱǰȱŗşŚŝȱ
neonates
ŗŗǯȱȱ ŗŚȱȱȱŞȱ ȱȱȱěȱ ITNs vs all controls
ŘŖŖŚ individual randomized of ITNs or curtains in Child mortality ȱȱŖǯŞřȱǻ0.76–0.89)
controlled trials, more preventing malaria from all causes
Most recent śȱǰȱŗŚşȱŘŘŗȱ
ȱŗśŖȱŖŖŖȱ
substantive
amendment, Africa, South America, Bednets were Lives potentially śǯśȦŗŖŖŖȱȱȦ¢
¢ȱŘŖŖŚ Middle Asia and South- treated with saved in
East Asia synthetic pyrethroid ȱŗȮśşȱ
ȱȱěȱ months
Systematic concentrations Severe malaria ŚśƖȱȱĜ¢
ȱ
(area of stable
1++ malaria)
Average ȱ¢ȱŗǯŝƖȱȱȱ
haemoglobin
level in children
a
Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine
b
Ȭę
c
ȱȱȱȱǯȱǻşśƖȱęȱǼ
Standards 1.7 M a l a r i a preve nti o n and t reat m ent 5
References
ŗǯȱ A strategic framework for malaria prevention and control during pregnancy in the African region.
ǰȱȱ
ȱ£ǰȱȱĜȱȱǰȱŘŖŖŚȱǻȱȦ
ȦŖŚȦŖŗǼǯ
Řǯȱ ȱȱȱǯȱĴȱ¡Ȭ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ-
ondary to malaria in pregnancy: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet,ȱŗşşşǰȱřśřDZŜřŘȮ
ŜřŜǯ
řǯȱ ȱǰȱ û£ȱǯȱȱȱȱȬȱȱȱȱ -
en and death in the newborn (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2004.
ǰȱȱ¢ȱǭȱǰȱŘŖŖŚǯ
Śǯȱ Ȃȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ-
come of pregnancy in primigravidae in The Gambia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene,ȱŗşşŜǰȱşŖDZŚŞŝȮŚşŘǯ
śǯȱ ȱȱȱǯȱĜ¢ȱȱ¡Ȭ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱ
ȱȱȱȱ
¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱę¢ȱȱ
infection. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,ȱŗşşŞǰȱśşDZŞŗřȮŞŘŘǯ
Ŝǯȱ £ȱȱȱǯȱȱ¢¡ǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ
Gambian primigravidae. Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,ȱŗşşŚǰȱşŝDZŘŚŚȮŘŚŞǯ
ŝǯȱ ȱǰȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱȱȮěȱȱȱȱ-
ures in Africa. Health Policy and Planning,ȱŗşşşǰȱŗŚDZřŖŗȮřŗŘǯ
Şǯȱ ȱȱȱǯȱĴȱ¡Ȭ¢ȱȱ¢DZȱěȱ
ȱȱ¢ȱȱ¢ǰȱ ǰȱȱŗşşŝȮşşǯȱTransactions of the Royal Society of
Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,ȱŘŖŖŖǰȱşŚDZśŚşȮśśřǯ
şǯȱ ȱǰȱȱ ǰȱȱǯȱȮěȱȱȱȱȱȬȱ
Africa. Lancet,ȱŗşşşǰȱřśŚDZřŝŞȮřŞśǯ
ŗŖǯȱ ȱǰȱȱ ǰȱȱǯȱȱȮěȱȱȱȱ-
tion in sub-Saharan Africa. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,ȱŘŖŖŗǰȱŜŚǻŗȮŘǰȱ
ǯǼDZŚśȮśŜǯ
ŗŗǯȱ ȱǯȱȬȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǻȱ
Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2004.ȱ¡ǰȱȱĞ ǰȱŘŖŖŚǯ
ŗŘǯȱ ȱǯȱ ǯȱȬȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ
incidence of malaria. Evidence-based Medicine,ȱŗşşşǰȱŚDZŝŞǯ
ŗřǯȱ ȱ
ȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ
an area of intense transmission in western Kenya. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and
Hygiene,ȱŘŖŖřǰȱŜŞǻŚǰȱǯǼDZŚśȮśŜǯ
ŗŚǯȱ ȱǰȱ¡ȱ¢ȱǯȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǰȱǯȱ
The design and descriptive analysis of a household survey. Health Policy and Planning,ȱŘŖŖŘǰȱ
ŗŝDZŚŖŘȮŚŗŗǯ
ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȱ
Chair: Paul Van Look, Director, Department of Reproductive Health and Research;
This document This document is part of the ȱĴǰȱ
ȱǰȱȱĴǰȱȱǰȱȱ
ȱȱȱȱȱ
is not a formal Standards for Maternal and Neonatal (Department of Making Pregnancy Safer).
publication of
ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ
the World Health Acknowledgments
of Making Pregnancy Safer,
Organization ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱĴȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ
World Health Organization.
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ȱȱĜȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ
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For further information please ȬȱǻȱȱǰȱĴȱǰȱ ȱ ǰȱȱĴǰȱȱ
reserved by the
contact: Baronciani and Nicola Magrini) developed the table of evidence and provided additional
Organization.
Department of Making Pregnancy insightful review of the evidence section. We thank Nahlem Bernard, Paola Marchesini and
The document
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World Health Organization (WHO) Duke Gyamerah for the layout.
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