Introduction: Malaria is associated with high morbidity during pregnancy. Homozygous sickle cell pregnant women are even more exposed during complicated malaria. The objective of the study was to evaluate the maternal and fetal morbidity of homozygous sickle cell pregnant pregnant women with complicated malaria.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 982 pregnancies in sickle cell pregnant women, during which a group of sickle cell pregnant women who received antimalarial chemoprophylaxis was compared to another group without chemoprophylaxis. We analyzed the clinical evolution of pregnant women (VOCs and transfusions, pregnancy weight gain) and parasite (parasite density at the time of diagnosis of complicated malaria and during treatment for three days). We analyzed the parameters of newborns at birth (age of pregnancy at the time of delivery, birth weight, weight of the placenta and histopathological examination of the placenta.
Results: Out of 982 pregnancies, 15% of pregnant women suffered from complicated malaria, 57% suffered from uncomplicated malaria and 28% did not suffer from malaria. Pregnancy weight gain, birth weight, was better in the group of pregnant women who received chemoprophylaxis and the placenta had less histological lesions. Parasite density was low. There was a significant positive correlation between parasite density and the number of CVOs and transfusions and between parasite density and histological lesions of the placenta and low birth weight.
Conclusion: Complicated malaria is associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity in sickle cell patients. Malaria chemoprophylaxis can reduce maternal and fetal complications and parasite density during malaria infection.