Related Experiment Videos
Insecticide-treated nets for preventing malaria in pregnancy
C Gamble1, J P Ekwaru, F O ter Kuile
1University of Liverpool, Centre for Medical Statistics and Health Evaluation, Shelley's Cottage, Brownlow Street, Liverpool, UK, L69 3GS. c.gamble@liv.ac.uk
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 21, 2006
Summary
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) significantly reduce adverse outcomes like placental malaria, low birthweight, and stillbirths in pregnant women in African regions. Further trials are not needed in sub-Saharan Africa, but evaluation is required elsewhere.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Tropical Medicine
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Malaria in pregnancy poses significant risks to both mother and fetus.
- Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are recommended for protection, but evidence of their effectiveness has been inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the impact of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) against no nets or untreated nets on preventing malaria in pregnant women.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving ITNs in pregnant women.
- Searched multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS) and contacted researchers.
- Included individual and cluster RCTs; data were analyzed using the generic inverse variance method.
Main Results:
- In sub-Saharan Africa, ITNs significantly reduced placental malaria, low birthweight, and stillbirths/abortions in women with fewer than five pregnancies.
- Effects on anemia and clinical malaria favored ITNs but were not statistically significant.
- A trial in Thailand showed ITNs reduced anemia and stillbirths/abortions but not clinical malaria or low birthweight.
Conclusions:
- ITNs demonstrate a beneficial impact on pregnancy outcomes in malaria-endemic African regions, regardless of community or individual use.
- Further research on ITNs in pregnancy is not necessary in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Additional evaluation of ITNs is needed in regions with lower malaria transmission intensity and Plasmodium vivax prevalence in Asia and Latin America.