Abstract:
Malaria is a highly prevalent infection in many developing countries and pregnant women
are exposed to its ravages. Failure of other control measures and in view of a vaccine for
malaria on the making, an understanding of the effects of malaria, especially its
pathogenesis on the placenta is desirable.
Eighty-seven pregnant women were studied. 41 (47%) had malaria infections and 14
(16%) neonates had congenital malaria. There were 13 (31%) mothers who had preterm
deliveries and had malaria. No statistical significance was found between preterm malaria
infected and non-infected mothers.
Primigravid mothers had higher rates of infection compared to the multigravid. This
difference was statistically significant. Low birth weight neonates were found to be more
among the non-malaria infected mothers (60.9%). The mean weight differences for sixty-
two term placentas with and without malaria infection was not statistically significant.
Eighteen placental sections were stained with Haematoxyline and Eosine stain, periodic
acid silver methamine stain, antibodies for Pan leukocyte (CD4S), B (CD4SRA),
T (CD45RO) cells and for collagen IV. Malaria parasites and pigments were found in the
maternal intervillous space and fibrinoid necrosis was found to be more prevalent in the
heavily infected placentas.
Thickening of the trophoblastic and foetal blood vessel basement membrane, a decrease in
pan leukocyte, B cell and T cells infiltrates were also seen in the heavily infected
placentas.
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