Placental Malaria and Its Associations with Pregnancy Outcome

Abstract

Background: Placental malaria constitutes a risk for both the pregnant women and their unborn child hence there is need to demonstrate the adverse associations between placental malaria and pregnancy outcome. Aim: To demonstrate the adverse maternal and fetal associations with placental malaria Study Design and Setting: This is a cross sectional study carried out at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, South East, Nigeria between 1st August, 2012 and 31st January, 2013. Result: Two hundred placentae were analyzed, 141(70.5%) were positive for malaria, Placental malaria was associated with lower maternal pcv (30.67±1.60 vs 32.51±2.82, p-value < 0.001), preterm delivery (OR=4.99, C.I=1.15 – 45.08, p- value=0.020), and low birth weight (OR = 4.71, C.I=1.08 – 42.71, p-value=0.027) but not associated with maternal anaemia (OR=2.27, C.I= 0.90-6.47, p-value=0.063) and perinatal deaths (OR=Infinity, C.I =0.38 – infinity, p-value = 0.143). Conclusion: Placental malaria was associated with low birth weight, lower pcv and preterm delivery but associated neither with maternal anaemia nor perinatal deaths.