I
n 2007, more than 30 million pregnancies
were estimated to have occurred in areas
of sub-Saharan Africa in which Plasmodium
falciparum is endemic.1
Malaria during pregnancy
is associated with placental malaria, adverse
birth outcomes, and complications and death in
both the mother and the infant.2,3 In sub-Saharan
Africa, malaria during pregnancy is estimated to
be the cause of low birth weight in up to 20% of
deliveries, leading to more than 100,000 infant
deaths annually.2,3 Given the high burden of
malaria in this vulnerable population, the World
Health Organization (WHO) recommends the
routine implementation of malaria-preventive
measures among pregnant women in all countries
in Africa in which P. falciparum remains
endemic. These measures include the use of
long-lasting insecticide–treated bed nets and intermittent
preventive treatment with sulfadoxine–
pyrimethamine during pregnancy.4