Fetal and maternal complications of malaria at N'Djamena South District Hospital (Chad)

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Background: Malaria infection in pregnancy is a major risk factor for maternal and child health and, substantially, increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birth weight. Objective: Identify fetal and maternal complications of malaria and curb the spread of this preventable infectious disease. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective and analytic survey of 8 months. The study sample consisted of two groups: (1) the study group composed with pregnant women admitted for symptomatic or asymptomatic malaria and (2) the control group in which of three malaria negative pregnant women were recorded after every malaria positive case. Data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0. Results: We recorded 200 patients admitted for malaria among 1220 patients, giving incidence of 16.4%. The majority of pregnant women (48%) ( P = 0.0001) had not attended antenatal consultation. Half of patients ( P = 0035) did not receive malaria preventive treatment during pregnancy. Eighty-six patients (43%) declared using insecticide-treated bed nets. The majority (186/200, i.e. 93%) had positive malaria rapid test. The microscopic examination showed Plasmodium falciparum malaria in 84%. The majority of patients (89%) received quinine. Sixty-one patients (30.5%) presented anemia. One mother died giving a death rate of 0.5%. Main fetal complications were of low birth weight (12.5%, P = 0.016) and intrauterine growth restriction (9% P = 0.026). Conclusion: Malaria remains a frequent infectious disease during pregnancy. Sensitizations for antenatal consultations are useful to improve malaria management.