Placental malaria and pregnancy outcome.

Malaria parasitemia was assessed in 312 placentae of singleton deliveries in Benin. The prevalence rate was 45.19%. The dominant infecting specie was Plasmodium falciparum. High density parasitemia of placental smear in 44.68% was associated with preterm delivery, low birthweight, intrauterine growth retardation and neonatal mortality. Placental histological diagnosis of malaria in 57.69% was more frequently associated with intrauterine growth retardation. Extraplacental parasitemia decreased but intraplacental parasitemia increased with gestational age.