Health
Why Malaria Increases Miscarriage Risks In Early Pregnancy – Oyibo
By Catherine Egwuom
Prof. Wellington Oyibo, Consultant and Medical Parasitologist at the College of Medicine, of the University of Lagos, says untreated malaria remains a top cause of spontaneous miscarriage and maternal complications in Nigeria.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, Oyibo urged pregnant women to prioritise using insecticide-treated nets, getting early ante-natal care and diagnostic testing to safeguard both their lives and pregnancies.
Oyibo, Director of the Centre for Transdisciplinary Research in Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at the University of Lagos, also advised on other malaria preventive measures to be adopted.
He spoke ahead of World Malaria Day, commemorated annually on April 25, with the theme for 2026 as “ “Driven to End Malaria, Now We Can, Now We Must’’.
Oyibo said that during pregnancy, malaria could affect the foetus and the mother, causing spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), particularly in the first trimester.
“ Symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum or P. vivax infection increases the risk of fetal loss, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and low birth weight due to placental infection.
“The parasite goes to the placenta, affects it and causes the woman to suffer anaemia”.
“This interrupts the nutrients that the child might need, leads to poor development of the child and can result to preterm.
“Malaria can also cause abortion in pregnant women, because of the areas the parasite has gone within the placenta.
“It shows how wicked the parasite is. It goes to several parts of the body – to the child, it can go to the brain, this leads to cerebral malaria.
“Pregnant women are encouraged to register for antenatal care early, in order to receive preventive measures, not only for malaria, but for other things that can affect pregnancy,’’ he said.
He noted that the government had put in place strategies to reduce maternal mortality rate and that information and awareness were key.
According to Oyibo, mosquito nets are distributed by the government to pregnant women through health care providers at health facilities.
He advised both old and new mothers to take their health seriously, be informed and key into what the government was doing to prevent malaria.
Oyibo said it was time to call for action, to be aware and ascertain what malaria was and what it was not.
“We should understand that malaria is transmitted by a specie of mosquito that breeds in clean water.
“Let us initiate primary protection and use bed nets; prevention starts from homes”.
He also advised that one should get tested before taking any malaria drugs to be sure that the person had malaria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
