Malaria in the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Fetal Growth: Results from a Beninese Preconceptional Cohort.

Koladjo, Babagnidé François
Yovo, Emmanuel
Accrombessi, Manfred
Agbota, Gino
Atade, William
Ladikpo, Olaiitan T
Mehoba, Murielle
Degbe, Auguste
Jackson, Nikki
Massougbodji, Achille
Sossou, Darius
Vianou, Bertin
Cot, Michel
Cottrell, Gilles
Fievet, Nadine
Zeitlin, Jennifer
Briand, Valérie

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Publication date

January 2022

DOI

10.1093/infdis/jiac012

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Malaria in early pregnancy occurs at a time when the placenta is developing, with possible consequences for placental function and fetal growth. We assessed the association between first trimester malaria and fetal growth documented through repeated ultrasound scans. METHODS: The RECIPAL preconceptional cohort included 411 Beninese pregnant women followed from 7 weeks' gestation (wg) until delivery. Among them, 218 had 4 scans for fetal monitoring at 16, 22, 28, and 34 wg. Multivariate seemingly unrelated regression models were used to assess association of microscopic malaria in the first trimester (<15 wg) with abdominal circumference, head circumference, biparietal diameter, and femur length throughout pregnancy. RESULTS: Of ...