Malaria risk during pregnancy in Mpumalanga province, South Africa
Govere, J.; Billinghurst, K.; Dürrheim, D.N.; Blumberg, L.; Hansford, C.F.
South African Medical Journal 89(6): 625
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 10443210 Document Number: 507840
Between January and December 1997, Giemsa-stained thick blood smears were prepared from all pregnant women presenting at 3 primary health care clinics in Tonga Health District, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Only 7 of the 1337 women screened were positive for malaria parasites (all were Plasmodium falciparum). All infections were asymptomatic. Although 5 of the women had originated from outside South Africa there was no association between malaria risk and maternal origin. No association was found between malaria in pregnancy and maternal age or history of malaria. There was no association between malaria prevalence and the traditional high-risk malaria period (October to May).