Miscarriage and Malaria
Here in the United States, we don't give malaria much thought but it is very prevalent in some developing countries It is very common in tropical and sub-tropical areas. There are approximately 350-500 million cases of malaria every year and 1 million people die from the disease yearly. It can be very dangerous for pregnant women and it can cause miscarriage.
Malaria is caused by a parasite borne by mosquitoes. Victims of malaria may experience fever, chills , vomiting and other flu-like symptoms according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). While malaria is both treatable and preventable, if left untreated it can cause severe complications and even death.
Pregnant women who acquire malaria have a highly elevated rate of miscarriage according the the World Health Organization (WHO). The miscarriage rate for pregnant women with malaria may be as high as 60%. The World Health Organization states that both pregnant women who are non-immune and semi-immune to the disease are at greater risk for miscarriage.
If you're pregnant and traveling to tropical or sub-tropical areas of the world where malaria is commonplace, you should talk to your doctor about anti-malarial drugs. There are several which will prevent the disease, although not all are considered safe during pregnancy particularly in the first trimester. Your doctor can recommend the ones which are appropriate. Travelers from areas like the United States where malaria is less common are at higher risk. (It should be noted that there are approximately 1500 case of malaria in the United States every year, however most of these cases are diagnosed in immigrants or travelers.)
Malaria is one of the main causes of miscarriage in developing countries. You might want to honor your own loss be giving to an organization which helps prevent the disease. There are some that raise money for anti-malarial drugs and others which donate netting to keep mosquitoes away in the first place. You could prevent a woman from contracting the disease and losing her pregnancy. Malaria can also increase the risk of stillbirth and neonatal death.
Malaria is caused by a parasite borne by mosquitoes. Victims of malaria may experience fever, chills , vomiting and other flu-like symptoms according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). While malaria is both treatable and preventable, if left untreated it can cause severe complications and even death.
Pregnant women who acquire malaria have a highly elevated rate of miscarriage according the the World Health Organization (WHO). The miscarriage rate for pregnant women with malaria may be as high as 60%. The World Health Organization states that both pregnant women who are non-immune and semi-immune to the disease are at greater risk for miscarriage.
If you're pregnant and traveling to tropical or sub-tropical areas of the world where malaria is commonplace, you should talk to your doctor about anti-malarial drugs. There are several which will prevent the disease, although not all are considered safe during pregnancy particularly in the first trimester. Your doctor can recommend the ones which are appropriate. Travelers from areas like the United States where malaria is less common are at higher risk. (It should be noted that there are approximately 1500 case of malaria in the United States every year, however most of these cases are diagnosed in immigrants or travelers.)
Malaria is one of the main causes of miscarriage in developing countries. You might want to honor your own loss be giving to an organization which helps prevent the disease. There are some that raise money for anti-malarial drugs and others which donate netting to keep mosquitoes away in the first place. You could prevent a woman from contracting the disease and losing her pregnancy. Malaria can also increase the risk of stillbirth and neonatal death.
You Should Also Read:
Centers for Disease Control
World Health Organization
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