Submicroscopic malaria in pregnancy and associated adverse pregnancy events: A case-cohort study of 4,352 women on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malaria in pregnancy detected by microscopy is associated with maternal anaemia, reduced fetal growth, and preterm birth, but the effects of lower density (i.e., submicroscopic) malaria infections are poorly characterised. This analysis was undertaken to investigate associations between submicroscopic malaria at the first antenatal care (ANC) visit and these adverse pregnancy events on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Methods

Blood samples taken from refugee and migrant pregnant women presenting for their first ANC visit were analysed retrospectively for malaria using ultrasensitive PCR (uPCR, limit of detection 22 parasites/mL). The relationships between submicroscopic malaria and subsequent microscopically detectable malaria, anaemia, birth weight, and preterm birth

SUBMITTER: Gilder ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11878921 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature