Best Malaria Drugs for Pregnant Women in Nigeria

Check out Some of the Best Malaria Drugs for Pregnant Women in Nigeria. Also, this article lists some of the Clinical Symptoms of Malaria in Pregnancy.

Millions of people die each year from malaria, a parasitic infection spread by mosquitoes that is one of the deadliest infectious diseases. The parasite that causes malaria is a disease.

The parasite infects people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Malaria patients typically experience severe illness, including a high fever and shivering chills.

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Malaria is still widespread in tropical and subtropical nations even though it is rare in regions with a temperate climate. Over 400,000 people per year pass away from malaria, which affects close to 290 million people annually.

International health initiatives distribute malaria prevention medications and bed nets treated with insecticides to keep people safe from mosquito bites. The World Health Organization recommends using a malaria vaccine for children who live in countries with a high prevalence of malaria cases.

The implementation of the aforementioned strategies is essential to enhancing the health-seeking behavior of pregnant women in particular and the general population in general, allowing them to avoid contracting malaria during pregnancy and infancy.

Children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality, with Africa bearing the largest impact.

Malaria Drugs for Pregnant Women in Nigeria

In general, doctors advise pregnant women to avoid taking medications if at all possible, especially in the first three months. Organ development occurs at that time in a baby.

But occasionally you have to take medication to treat a medical condition, like malaria. Here are some of the top anti-malarial medications available in Nigeria.

Lokmal

A combination of the antiparasitic medications artemethrin and lumefantrine is mostly used to treat malaria. The mechanism of action of Lokmal Qs is to raise blood levels of haeme, which is toxic to the malarial parasite.

This stops the infection’s development within the body and gets rid of the parasite. A few hours after dosing, Lokmal Qs begin to work, but it takes about three days to see the full impact.

If used in accordance with your doctor’s instructions, Lokmal Qs are safe to use while nursing. Before use, if you are pregnant, consult your doctor.

Amatem

Amatem Forte belongs to the group of medications called ACTs (Artemisin-based Combination Therapy) that the WHO highly recommends for the treatment of malaria.

Before taking Amatem Forte, speak with your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.

If you prefer softgels to “hard” tablets, this oral formulation is also available in those forms.

Given the potential for fatigue and dizziness after taking Amatem Forte, you should avoid operating heavy equipment or driving after taking it.

A doctor should be consulted before taking Amatem Forte if you have ever had a drug reaction.

Coartem

The medication artemether/lumefantrine, which is sold under the brand name Coartem among other names, combines the two medicines lumefantrine and artemether.

Coartem is effective in treating Plasmodium falciparum-related malaria that is resistant to therapy with chloroquine. You can only ingest it orally.
Muscle and joint pain, fever, appetite loss, and headache are examples of common side effects.

Although not thoroughly researched, it seems safe to use during pregnancy. If you have mild to moderate kidney or liver issues, you don’t need to change your dose.

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Lonart

Patients weighing 5 kg or more who have acute, simple malaria infections are treated with Lonart Tablet. It requires a prescription to buy. The parasitic organisms that cause malaria are killed by this medication by preventing the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids.

This medication aids in stopping the development of malarial parasites. Use this medication during pregnancy only if the benefits outweigh the risks to the developing fetus.

Malaria and Pregnancy

Pregnancy-related malaria is a gynecological, sociocultural, and medical issue that requires a multi-dimensional approach to treatment. A large number of malaria-related deaths in Africa occur in pregnant women and children under the age of five, who make up the main adult risk group for the disease.

Malaria is one of the many problems facing expectant mothers, particularly in Nigeria, where the disease is endemic. Since their immune systems are largely under significant stress, their situations could quickly worsen.

Considering that Nigeria is a tropical country, how seriously does malaria affect pregnancy there?

Malaria is to blame in Nigeria for 11% of maternal deaths. Numerous experts have noted the high prevalence rates of malaria in pregnancy in different locations of Nigeria, contributing to the frightening malaria situation.

The risks of maternal and fetal anemia, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight, and neonatal death are all increased by malaria during pregnancy.

When maternal immunity to malaria begins to wane around 3 months of age, infants born to mothers who live in endemic areas are vulnerable to the disease.

Clinical Symptoms of Malaria in Pregnancy

Malaria atypical manifestations are more frequent during pregnancy, especially in the second half of the pregnancy.

Fever

The patient may exhibit various fever patterns, such as low-grade hyperpyrexia or afebrile fever. Due to immunosuppression, paroxysms may occur more frequently in the second half of pregnancy.

Splenomegaly

There may be a range in spleen enlargement. It might not exist or be very small in the second half of pregnancy. A spleen that was previously big may decrease during pregnancy.

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Anemia

Anemia is a frequent aspect of pregnancy in developing nations, where malaria is most prevalent. The two main causes of anemia are undernutrition and helminthiasis. In this situation, malaria will make things worse.

Since anemia might possibly be a presenting sign of malaria, it is important to screen for MP in all cases of anemia. In partially immune multigravidae living in hyperendemic areas, anemia is more frequent as a presenting symptom.

Other Complications:

In pregnancy, complications are typically more frequent and more severe.

Malaria complications may be present when a patient first gets sick or they may appear suddenly. Pregnancy makes it more likely to develop acute pulmonary edema, hypoglycemia, and anemia.

Other complications include coma, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, altered sensorium, and jaundice.

Final Notes on Malaria Drugs for Pregnant Women in Nigeria

Malaria during pregnancy causes 900,000 low birth weight babies to be born each year, and it is also responsible for 100,000 infant fatalities.

In addition to a higher risk of mortality, low birth weight infants who survive have a higher risk of morbidity, which increases their risk of having delayed cognitive and social development.

Fetal growth restriction, the underlying cause of malaria during pregnancy, leads to low birth weight, which is associated with an increased risk of adult disorders including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.

Therefore, it is still important to focus research on preventing low birth weight due to malaria during pregnancy.