Malaria

[silver_fox]

Hi,

Does anyone know if I REALLY need to take malaria tablets to go to Calcutta?

I'll be 11wks pregnant when I go, and know the tablets are safe, I would just prefer not to if it wasn't necessary!!

A xXx

[NORMANTHEDOG]

im surprised you are even asking this question,if you care about your babies health then you must take them. maybe you dont care that much.

[vehelpfulguy]

Found this on the web

"Malaria, caused by a microscopic blood parasite transmitted in a mosquito's bite, infects about 500 million people each year, killing about 2 million".

Worth the risk ?

[vehelpfulguy]

Similar question here (but about Africa)

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/infections/2026 30.html

Some advice here (seems that pregnant women are more succeptable to malaria which is a worry)

http://malaria.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD023891.ht ml

http://www.who.int/features/2003/04b/en/

[vehelpfulguy]

More here about Malaria and pregnant women (scroll down)

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/pregnan cy/travel/travel_essentials1.asp

And here

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.a spx?articleId=2475

Having read some of these articles, if I was in your position I would not even think about going to India while pregnant.

[jno]

sadly, yes, precautions are recommended everywhere in India except the mountains.

[Paul22118]

Stay at home. But if you HAVE to go take Lariam.

[Ice.Maiden]

I'd stay at home too - merely because I'd never take any tablets whilst pregnant (unless assured they'd cause no harm to the baby), but if you have to go - and the doctor says they're OK, then take them. Malaria's still a very nasty disease.

[jno]

not sure about Lariam while you're pregnant

http://www.traveldoctor.info/page/40.html

Also, a few people experience psychotic episodes with it, so I've always avoided it. I prefer Malorone, but it's expensive - no on the NHS.

[KARL]

I agree that you should stay away from malarial areas while pregnant, but if you must go it is possible to avoid getting malaria without taking drugs. I spent many years in total in malarial areas, some with my wife and young sons. None of us or those who visited us got malaria. Precautions we took included daily (just before dusk at the latest) closing of all windows and doors and spraying all ceilings-to-wall corners, around windows and doors and under furniture with reliable insecticide (original Baygon was our preferred one). If we went out anywhere at or after dusk we wore Mosquito Milk (check Boots, tropical strength was what we preferred) all round the hairline, behind ears, on neck and all exposed skin elsewhere (underside as well as upper of arms to fingertips, ankles, legs and feet unless covered with clothing). Incidentally, none of the pills are 100% guaranteed to prevent malaria nor are they 100% safe or side-effect free. My mother-in-law arrived having taken them on her doctor's orders but felt so unwell that she stopped taking them. She did not get malaria either.

[jack daniels]

A xXx
Please, please, please, take them - considering you know they're safe during pregnancy.
You don't want a parasite arrecting the baby at all!
My sister came back from a holiday in India at the end of December. I got interupted while on the phone to my mum yesterday with the news of " your sister has been admitted into hospital straight from work, she is shivering/feeling constantly cold & they suspect she has malaria"
She religiously took the tablets - even for the full duration after she came back.
They've kept her in for tests etc.... and I'll be finding out later this evening what's happened

[jack daniels]

sorry should've read affecting not arrecting - I'm quite worried