Effects of Malaria Parasitaemia on Iron Status in Pregnant Women

Malaria is a disease caused by the protozoan parasite; Plasmodium. The four species of this parasite which infects man, lives and destroys the red blood cells, during a period of their life cycle. Infection with these parasites can therefore cause anaemia by its effect on the iron store components used in the production of red blood cells. In this book, the magnitude and direction of the effect of malaria parasitaemia on iron stores, in pregnant women living in a malaria endemic area has been described in details.