Authors :
Rachel Unekwu Odesanya; Danlami Wetkos Dayom; Noel Ndalbeh-Nenman Wannang
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 11 - November
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/3jkr9cvs
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/2je32auv
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10250546
Abstract :
Background: Malaria is a burden to human race. In
areas with high malaria transmission, young children
and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to
malaria infection and death. The global burden of
malaria and that of poverty mirrors each other and
malaria is well thought out to be both a cause and
consequence of poverty; with fifty eight percent of
malaria cases occurring in the poorest 20% of the
world’s population and those who are least likely to have
access to treatment. The World Health Organization
recommends the use of Artemisinin-based combinations
(ACTs) that includes artemeter-lumefantrine for the
treatment of malaria in pregnancy, of which safety data
is limited, hence the need for their post-market
surveillance. The overall aim of this study is to assess the
safety profile of artemeter-lumefantrine use among
pregnant women and their newborn.
Method: This was a Multi-Centre prospective cohort
study of antimalarials in pregnant women in their
second and third trimester of pregnancy. There were two
cohorts of ACT arm and the SP arm and a total sample
size of 392.Results:Pregnancy outcome: The study
revealed that most of the participants (68.1%) had term
deliveries (live birth). But, 11(2.8%) had post term
delivery, 2(1.3%) had abortion while 6(1.5%) had
miscarriage, 12(3.1%), while 40(10.2%) had Preterm
birth. There was no significant association between
pregnancy outcomes and antimalarial drugs used.
Conclusion:The pregnancy outcome following the use of
artemether-lumefantrine and that of sulphadoxine-
pyrimethamine include live birth and stillbirth at term,
premature delivery, post term deliveries,miscarriage and
longer duration of labour. Abortion occurred only in the
AL group and neonatal death only in the SP group.
There is need for continuous post-market surveillance of
these antimalarials among pregnant women.
Keywords :
Pregnancy outcome, antimalarial, artemether- lumefantrine, uncomplicated malaria.
Background: Malaria is a burden to human race. In
areas with high malaria transmission, young children
and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to
malaria infection and death. The global burden of
malaria and that of poverty mirrors each other and
malaria is well thought out to be both a cause and
consequence of poverty; with fifty eight percent of
malaria cases occurring in the poorest 20% of the
world’s population and those who are least likely to have
access to treatment. The World Health Organization
recommends the use of Artemisinin-based combinations
(ACTs) that includes artemeter-lumefantrine for the
treatment of malaria in pregnancy, of which safety data
is limited, hence the need for their post-market
surveillance. The overall aim of this study is to assess the
safety profile of artemeter-lumefantrine use among
pregnant women and their newborn.
Method: This was a Multi-Centre prospective cohort
study of antimalarials in pregnant women in their
second and third trimester of pregnancy. There were two
cohorts of ACT arm and the SP arm and a total sample
size of 392.Results:Pregnancy outcome: The study
revealed that most of the participants (68.1%) had term
deliveries (live birth). But, 11(2.8%) had post term
delivery, 2(1.3%) had abortion while 6(1.5%) had
miscarriage, 12(3.1%), while 40(10.2%) had Preterm
birth. There was no significant association between
pregnancy outcomes and antimalarial drugs used.
Conclusion:The pregnancy outcome following the use of
artemether-lumefantrine and that of sulphadoxine-
pyrimethamine include live birth and stillbirth at term,
premature delivery, post term deliveries,miscarriage and
longer duration of labour. Abortion occurred only in the
AL group and neonatal death only in the SP group.
There is need for continuous post-market surveillance of
these antimalarials among pregnant women.
Keywords :
Pregnancy outcome, antimalarial, artemether- lumefantrine, uncomplicated malaria.
