Chloroquine prophylaxis, iron-folic acid supplementation or case management of malaria attacks in primigravidae in western Uganda: Effects on maternal parasitaemia and haemoglobin levels and on birthweight

Richard Ndyomugyenyi, Pascal Magnussen*

*Corresponding author for this work
19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The effects of weekly chloroquine prophylaxis, daily iron-weekly folic acid supplementation or passive case management on maternal haemoglobin and parasitaemia and on birthweight were examined in primigravidae in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled intervention trial in 1996-98 in Hoima District, western Uganda. Iron-folic acid supplementation significantly increased mean birthweight as compared to case management (P = 0.03). Low birthweight (<2.5 kg) occurred in 2% of babies of women receiving chloroquine prophylaxis for ≥ 8 weeks and in 9% in the case management group (RR = 0·36, 95% CI0·13-1.00, P = 0.009). Parasitaemia at enrolment significantly correlated with low birthweight in the case management group as compared to the intervention groups (P = 0.02). Women in the case management group who were parasitaemic and had haemoglobin levels < 100 g/L at delivery had babies with lower mean birthweight as compared to babies in the other groups (P = 0.04). Low haemoglobin level at enrolment, irrespective of parasitaemia status, was a predictor of low birthweight in the case management group only (P = 0.04). Chloroquine prophylaxis and iron-folic acid supplementation significantly increased maternal haemoglobin levels during pregnancy as compared to case management (P = 0.01 and 0.007, respectively) and the increase correlated to the duration of the intervention.

Original languageEnglish
JournalTransactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume94
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)413-418
Number of pages6
ISSN0035-9203
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2000

Keywords

  • Anaemia
  • Birthweight
  • Chloroquine
  • Folic acid supplementation
  • Iron supplementation
  • Malaria
  • Parasitaemia
  • Pregnancy
  • Prophylaxis
  • Uganda

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