Causes of preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation in a malaria endemic region of Papua New Guinea
a Institute of Molecular Medicine, John
Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DS, b Papua New Guinea
Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea
Correspondence to: Dr Steve Allen. Email: sallen{at}hammer.imm.ox.ac.uk
Accepted 3 March 1998
AIM
To identify causes of preterm delivery
and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in a malaria endemic region
of Papua New Guinea.
METHODS
Independent predictors of preterm
delivery and birthweight in term infants were identified using multiple
regression analysis in a prospective study of 987 singleton live births
delivered in Madang Hospital.
RESULTS
Overall, Plasmodium
falciparum infection of the placenta was associated with a
reduction in birthweight of 130 g. Malaria was significantly more
common in primigravidae than multigravidae and probably contributed to
both preterm delivery and IUGR. Maternal haemoglobin concentrations
were significantly lower in malaria infected than non-infected women
and reduced haemoglobin was the main determinant of preterm delivery.
Poorer maternal nutritional status and smoking were associated with
both prematurity and IUGR. Greater antenatal clinic attendance
predicted increased birthweight in term infants.
CONCLUSIONS
Protection against malaria
during pregnancy, especially in primigravidae, improved nutrition in
women and discouragement of smoking would probably reduce both preterm
delivery and IUGR. Greater use of existing antenatal clinics might
increase birthweight in term infants.
|
Key points
|
© 1998 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
BENET, A., KHONG, T. Y., URA, A., SAMEN, R., LORRY, K., MELLOMBO, M., TAVUL, L., BAEA, K., ROGERSON, S. J., CORTES, A.
(2006). PLACENTAL MALARIA IN WOMEN WITH SOUTH-EAST ASIAN OVALOCYTOSIS.. Am J Trop Med Hyg
75: 597-604
[Abstract] [Full Text]
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.



