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Malarial Immunity in Pregnant Nigerian Women and Their Newborn
Author(s) -
Ibeziako P. A.,
Okerengwo A. A.,
Williams A. I. O.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/j.1879-3479.1980.tb00267.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , malaria , chemoprophylaxis , obstetrics , titer , immunity , immunology , antibody , immune system , genetics , biology
The levels of malarial fluorescent antibody titers (MFAT) were estimated throughout pregnancy and at delivery in 20 urban Nigerian primigravidas who received malarial chemoprophylaxis. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) fall in the MFAT levels as pregnancy progressed. The mean logarithmic MFAT levels were 2.8664 ± 0.3326 and 2.2794 ± 0.1656 in the first and last trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. The MFAT level in the newborn was positively correlated to the maternal MFAT level at delivery (r = 0.9468; p < 0.001). If malarial prophylactics are used for a prolonged period, the maternal MFAT level will fall, leaving newborns with lowered immunity to malaria.