WHO has included intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as an important malaria intervention since 2012.1 Although other candidate therapies remain under investigation and despite waning sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine antimalarial efficacy due to increasing parasite resistance, IPTp with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine remains a key component of the management of pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas. In areas of high-grade parasite resistance, the use of IPTp with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is associated with improved birth weight, suggesting that there are benefits of beyond antimalarial efficacy.
WHO has included intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as an important malaria intervention since 2012.1 Although other candidate therapies remain under investigation and despite waning sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine antimalarial efficacy due to increasing parasite resistance, IPTp with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine remains a key component of the management of pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas. In areas of high-grade parasite resistance, the use of IPTp with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is associated with improved birth weight, suggesting that there are benefits of beyond antimalarial efficacy.