Association of placental Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia with maternal and newborn outcomes in the periurban area of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Abstract

SUMMARYThe prevalence of placental malaria and its impact on maternal and newborn outcomes have been poorly documented in periurban settings of Burkina Faso. Peripheral and placental blood from 320 mothers, and cord blood from their newborns were collected through a cross-sectional study and used to prepare thick and thin blood films. Maternal haemoglobin concentration and birthweight were also measured. The overall malaria parasitaemia prevalence in peripheral, placental and cord blood was of 17·2, 9·1 and 0·9%, respectively.Plasmodium falciparumwas the sole species found in all cases and the mean parasite density in placental blood was 4·5 ± 0·8 parasitesµL−1. Primigravida (aOR: 3·5; 95% CI (1·1–11·2)) and women who did not use a bed net (aOR: 2·6; 95% CI (1·1–6·3)), were at higher odds of placental malaria infection. Women with placental parasitaemia were at increased odds of maternal anaemia (aOR: 3·1; 95% CI (1·3–7·4)). There was no odds difference for LBW between mothers with placental parasitaemia and those without. Placental malaria parasitaemia resulted in a significant mean birthweight reduction of 200 g. Placental malaria infection is higher in primigravida. Use of insecticide-treated bed nets should be therefore emphasized for primigravida during the first antenatal care visit.

Prevalence of placental malaria among asymptomatic pregnant women in Wolkite health center, Gurage zone, Southern Ethiopia

“…There were 32 discordant results between placental and peripheral malaria: 29 infected women had peripheral parasitemia without placental malaria while 3 had placental malaria without peripheral parasitemia. This was consistent with other studies [26,27]. Malaria infection may be restricted to periphery due to lack of variant surface antigen expression that can cause placental sequestration [28] or in multigravida, women produce antibodies to VAR2CSA that inhibit the binding of pRBCs to CSA which prevent placental parasitemia [29].…”

Uptake of intermittent preventive treatment and pregnancy outcomes: health facilities and community surveys in Chókwè district, southern Mozambique

“…Women at their first pregnancy and at younger age (< 20 years) were more likely to be infected at delivery, present higher parasite densities, and give birth to LBW and pre-term infants, compared to multigravidae and older women, respectively, confirming higher susceptibility to MiP and related adverse effects due to inadequate pregnancy-associated immunity [ 7 , 50 – 53 ]. Moreover, young mothers may represent a particularly disadvantaged risk group characterized by low socioeconomic status and level of education, which may have an influence on health-related behavior [ 54 ].…”

Recent uptake of intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine is associated with increased prevalence of Pfdhfr mutations in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

“…Details for these two cross-sectional studies including samples collection have been described elsewhere [19, 20]. Briefly, during these studies, all pregnant women presenting for routine ANC or delivery were consecutively recruited at the primary health facilities of Kua and Lafiabougou (both located in the peri-urban area of Bobo-Dioulasso).…”