Hypertension and maternal-fetal conflict during placental malaria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malaria and hypertension are major causes of maternal mortality in tropical countries, especially during first pregnancies, but evidence for a relationship between these syndromes is contradictory.

Methods and findings

In a cross-sectional survey of Tanzanian parturients, the rate of hypertension was similar in placental malaria (PM)-positive (11/85 = 13%) and PM-negative (73/602 = 12%) individuals. However, we found that PM was associated with hypertension in first-time mothers aged 18-20 y but not other mothers. Hypertension was also associated with histologic features of chronic malaria, which is common in first-time mothers. Levels of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (sVEGFR1), a preeclampsia biomarker, were elevated in first-time mothers

SUBMITTER: Muehlenbachs A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1635741 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature