Objectives and methodology in a study of malaria treatment and prevention in pregnancy in rural Malawi: The Mangochi Malaria Research Project.

The Mangochi Malaria Research Project investigated the comparative efficacy of regimens containing chloroquine (CQ) or mefloquine (MQ) antimalarial treatment and chemoprophylaxis in an area of CQ-resistant Plasmodium falciparum on the following outcomes: the frequency of placental malaria infection the frequency of low birth weight the frequency of prematurity or intrauterine growth retardation the frequency of maternal fever illness and severe anemia and the likelihood of infant acquisition of malaria infection. While the investigation was not designed to evaluate the role of antimalarial chemoprophylaxis and treatment on infant mortality reduction it was possible to examine mortality and morbidity in the population. The sample size was insufficient to provide more than a descriptive analysis of mortality and morbidity in the fetal perinatal neonatal postneonatal and infant time intervals. The study design included 22 months of enrollment of pregnant women at their first antenatal clinic visit from four clinic sites in Mangochi District Malawi with assignment to one of four antimalarial regimens and prospective follow-up through pregnancy at delivery and during infancy.