QUESTION:

1) I am two months pregnant. Please, what drug can I use to treat malaria? 2) How often should I treat malaria?

ANSWER:

The specific answer to your question depends a bit on whether you believe you are already actively infected with malaria (in other words, you are feeling ill right now, or have done recently) or if you would like information on preventing malaria during your pregnancy.

In both cases, there are certain drugs which have been tested as safe for pregnant women, but whether these drugs are appropriate for you depends on where you live, what types of malaria you might have been exposed to, and, as I mentioned first, whether you are seeking treatment for an existing episode of malaria or want to prevent future illness.

I have asked one of our board members, who is an expert on maternal health and pregnancy, to comment further, so please check back here soon!