Malaria Susceptibility in the Pregnant PatientThe pregnant woman is a unique patient due to physiologic adaptations that allow a woman to grow and maintain a fetus. In many ways, the fetus is a transplant—it is able to develop and grow within its genetically distinct mother without immune rejection. This is possible through the immunosuppressed state of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the … [Read more...]
Malaria in Pregnancy – How Many Lives at Risk?
The global malaria burden is huge. Approximately 3.3 billion people—50% of the world’s population—live in areas of malaria transmission. Of these, approximately 125 million are pregnant. According to estimates by the World Health Organization, there were approximately 198 million cases of malaria in 2013, which led to 584,000 deaths. Malaria in pregnancy is thought to contribute to up to … [Read more...]