Malaria in pregnancy

Women who live in malaria endemic areas may have an asymptomatic background parasitaemia. This asymptomatic parasitaemia can be punctuated by episodes of acute febrile illness due to malaria. The incidence of these episodes of febrile illness due to malaria increases during pregnancy especially in primigravidae and the duration of illness may be significantly longer.7 Pregnant women, especially those living in areas of low or unstable transmission, are more likely to suffer from the severe complications of Malaria compared to non-pregnant individuals living in the same area. These complications include cerebral malaria, hypoglycaemia, pulmonary oedema and severe haemolytic anaemia.

A journal article on malaria in pregnant women in Tanzania.