The drugs are many and the choice of the drug to use will depend on the
clinical presentation, severity of the malaria infection, patient’s reaction to
the drug, any underlying disease or co-morbidites and other drugs the patient
was taking before the malaria attack.
It is better and safer
to avoid anti-malaria drugs in the first trimester of pregnancy. If it must be
used, the clinical judgment of the doctor will have to be employed to determine
the most effective management to save the mother first and if possible, the
foetus. However, in the second and third trimesters, sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine
combination may be used. However, artemether may be used under medical
supervision if the benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the foetus. The
bottom line is anti-malaria drugs are not too safe to use during pregnancy, one
should speak to his/her doctor if you are pregnant or may become pregnant to
decide the course of treatment that will be best for you.
Most anti-malaria drugs
are secreted into the breast-milk and it is not advisable for a breast-feeding
mother to take the drugs since they will surely get to the baby through the
breast-milk, unless the benefits outweigh the risks.
Source:
punchng
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