Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria for Pregnant Women (IPTp)
Why a Special Intervention for Pregnant Women?
Adults living in areas of high malaria transmission become partially immune to malaria. However, because of the changes in women’s immune systems when they become pregnant, pregnant women lose some of their immunity to malaria infection.
Malaria infection during pregnancy can have adverse effects on both mother and fetus, including maternal anemia, fetal loss, premature delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, and delivery of low birth-weight infants (<2500 g or <5.5 pounds), a risk factor for death.
It is a particular problem for women in their first and second pregnancies and for women who are HIV-positive.
Effects Vary by Transmission
The problems that malaria infection causes differ somewhat by the type of malaria transmission area: stable (high) or unstable (low) transmission.
- In high transmission areas, women have gained a level of immunity to malaria that wanes somewhat during pregnancy. Malaria infection is more likely to contribute to maternal anemia and delivery of low birth-weight infants (<2500 g or <5.5 pounds). It is a particular problem for women in their first and second pregnancies, for younger women, and for women who are HIV-positive.
- In low transmission areas, women generally have developed no immunity to malaria. Malaria infection is more likely to result in severe malaria disease, maternal anemia, premature delivery, or fetal loss.
Recommended Interventions
The currently recommended interventions for pregnant women are
- effective case management (diagnosis and treatment of illness)
- use of insecticide-treated bed nets
- intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) (for women in high transmission areas).
Women should also receive iron/folate supplementation to protect them against anemia, a common occurrence among all pregnant women.
IPTp
IPTp entails administration of a curative dose of an effective antimalarial drug (currently sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) at least twice during pregnancy to all pregnant women whether or not they are infected with the malaria parasite. IPTp is given at routine prenatal care visits, starting in the second trimester. Each dose should be at least 1 month apart.
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Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
MS A-06
Atlanta, GA 30333 - Health care providers needing assistance with diagnosis or management of suspected cases of malaria should call the CDC Malaria Hotline:
770-488-7788 or 855-856-4713 toll-free
(M-F, 9am-5pm, eastern time). - Emergency consultation after hours, call:
770-488-7100
and request to speak with a CDC Malaria Branch clinician. - malaria@cdc.gov