Placental malaria and the relationship to pregnancy outcome at Gushegu District Hospital, Northern Ghana.

One complication of malaria infection during pregnancy is the sequestration of parasites in the placenta. The aim of this study was to determine the association between placental malaria and pregnancy outcome. This study was conducted at the Gushegu District Hospital in Ghana from June to August 2010. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) was used as intermittent preventative treatment (IPT) during pregnancy. All mothers reporting for delivery were enrolled, except in cases of multiple pregnancies. The data was documented using a questionnaire. A placental blood sample was collected and analysed for malaria parasites. There were 56/107(52%) malaria positive samples. In women with placental malaria perinatal mortality was higher, duration of pregnancy shorter and birth weight lower. These results were statistically significant. In primigravidae the negative effects were more obvious. IPT is extensively implemented in Ghana, but this study found no evidence for an association between the number of doses and the outcome of pregnancy.