title: Comparative Study on Antenatal and Perinatal Outcome of Vivax and Falciparum Malaria in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria occurring in pregnancy is associated with considerable maternal and perinatal morbidity. In India, the problem is compounded by dual parasitological aetiology ofPlasmodiumvivax(P.vivax) andPlasmodium falciparum(P.falciparum).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the outcome of infections byP. vivaxandP.falciparumspecies among pregnant women in a hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women who tested positive for malaria either by microscopy of peripheral blood smear or ELISA test for double antigen were enrolled in the study. They were followed up till their delivery and discharge from hospital. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data was collected at enrolment, on event of complication and at delivery. Data was analyzed for univariate and multivariate associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 64 pregnant women diagnosed with malaria. A total of 76.6% study subjects had vivax infection rest were infected withp. falciparum. Anaemia (84%) was the commonest complication. A total of 60.9% women had pathological placenta. Preterm delivery, low birth weight and Apgar score <7 were the adverse pregnancy outcomes which were more frequent with falciparum infection. There were three perinatal deaths. Multigravidas were at significantly higher risk for low birth weight and low Apgar score of newborn. Infection in later trimester was associated with low Apgar score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both types of malaria cause considerable morbidity in pregnant women. More cases occurred among primigravida but multigravida and later trimester of pregnancy had more severe disease.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Medical College and Hospital , Kolkata, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Mousumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College , Kolkata, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Jhuma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, R.G Kar Medical College , Kolkata, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Shyamal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dasgupta
authors.affiliation: Medical Officer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hooghly District Hospital , Hooghly, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Kaushik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Clinical Tutor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IPGMER , Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Subhendu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, North Bengal Medical College , Darjeeling, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Sandip Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.affiliation: Senior Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RG Kar Medical College , Kolkata, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Das
keywords: Anaemia; Apgar score; Malaria control; Malaria epidemiology; Malaria falciparum; Malaria pigment; Malaria vivax; Parasitic; Pregnancy complications