Malaria during pregnancy: what to do

Pregnancy can change how infections affect the body and which medicines are suitable. Malaria may present with fever, chills, sweating, headache, tiredness or muscle aches; stomach symptoms can also occur. A fever after travel to a malaria area should be reported, even when symptoms seem mild.

A blood test helps clinicians check for malaria. Tell every healthcare professional that you are pregnant, how many weeks pregnant you are, where you travelled and which preventive medicines or other treatments you used. Do not wait for a routine antenatal visit if malaria is suspected.

Contact your maternity team or an urgent medical service promptly for fever or chills after travel in a malaria-risk area. Rest and take fluids if you can, but do not self-treat with leftover medicines or stop prescribed pregnancy medicines without advice. Treatment choices are made with pregnancy stage, symptoms and test findings in mind.

Before future travel, request a travel health consultation early. A clinician can discuss whether travel should be postponed, mosquito protection and malaria prophylaxis that fits pregnancy and destination.

Seek emergency help for confusion, fainting, a seizure, breathing difficulty, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, inability to drink, or a rapidly worsening fever. Contact maternity services urgently for reduced fetal movement, bleeding, contractions or severe abdominal pain.

Ask which blood tests are needed, which treatments are appropriate at your stage of pregnancy, how the baby will be monitored, and what symptoms require emergency care. Ask for a written plan for medicines and future travel.