Malaria chemoprophylaxis, birth weight and child survival.
Study of the effects of malaria chemoprophylaxis given during pregnancy on birthweight and investigation of the influence of birthweight on child survival suggest that, in a rural area of The Gambia, chemoprophylaxis given during pregnancy might reduce infant mortality by about one-fifth in the children of primigravidae but by less than 5% in the children of multigravidae. In malaria endemic areas, primigravidae should be protected against malaria not only for their own sake but also for that of their infants.
Greenwood
A M
AM
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia.
Armstrong
J R
JR
Byass
P
P
Snow
R W
RW
Greenwood
B M
BM
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001678:Maloprim; D003622:Dapsone; D011739:Pyrimethamine