Insecticide-treated nets to reduce the risk of malaria in pregnant women

Pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity, making pregnant women more susceptible to malaria infection and increasing the risk of illness, anaemia, severe disease and death. For the unborn child, maternal malaria increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, premature delivery and low birth weight – a leading cause of child mortality.

Evidence shows that in malaria-endemic areas, sleeping under mosquito nets treated with an insecticide is beneficial to the health of the pregnant woman, her fetus and the newborn infant. Long-lasting insecticidal nets are designed to maintain their effectiveness against mosquitoes that carry malaria and other diseases for at least three years. Studies have shown that long-lasting insecticidal nets may be less expensive to use than conventionally treated nets.

Insecticide-treated nets are safe for use as a personal protection method during pregnancy. Women should start using them as early in pregnancy as possible, and continue to use them throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period for both mother and child.