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Unstable malaria transmission and maternal mortality – experiences from Rwanda
Author(s) -
Hammerich Asmus,
Campbell Oona M. R.,
Chandramohan Daniel
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2002.00898.x
Subject(s) - malaria , pregnancy , medicine , transmission (telecommunications) , environmental health , obstetrics , immunology , biology , genetics , electrical engineering , engineering
Data on malaria in pregnancy in unstable transmission areas are scarce. We investigated malaria in pregnancy at Byumba District Hospital, Rwanda, over 3 years (January 1997–December 1999). Byumba, at an altitude of 2300 m, has low levels of malaria transmission. A malaria epidemic in February 1998 led to a fourfold increase in malaria admissions among pregnant women and to a fivefold increase in maternal deaths because of malaria. Safe Motherhood programmes should note that even in non‐epidemic years malaria can cause a large proportion of maternal deaths, and that national and international responses to malaria in pregnancy need strengthening.