Malaria specific-IgG, inter-pregnancy intervals, birth weights and body mass index in cases of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Considerations of both inter-pregnancy intervals and malaria parasitaemia may help in understanding some aspects of susceptibility and pregnancy outcomes in malaria endemic areas. METHODS Pregnant women with asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia were recruited and divided into groups based on their inter-pregnancy intervals and malaria specific-IgG, body mass index, and birth weights were studied in the groups. RESULTS The results showed that the P. falciparum specific-IgG concentration (f=3.52, p<0.02), malaria parasites density (f=6.44, p<0.001) and birth weights (f=7.36, p<0.001) were significantly different amongst the groups with varying inter-pregnancy intervals. In addition, different levels of associations between variables such as 'inter-pregnancy intervals vs P. falciparum specific-IgG concentration' (r = 0.23, p<0.05); 'malaria parasites density vs birth weight' (r = -0.84, p < 0.01) was observed. INTERPRETATIONS & CONCLUSION This study suggests that inter-pregnancy intervals could be one of the factors influencing dynamic serum concentrations of P. falciparum specific-IgG while malaria parasitaemia could be one of the factors affecting birth weights. Hence, observance of inter-pregnancy intervals has its own implications in malaria endemic areas.