Establishing a Conceptual Framework of the Impact of Placental Malaria on Infant Neurodevelopment

We propose a novel conceptual framework to describe the relationship between placental malaria and adverse infant neurodevelopmental outcomes. This conceptual framework includes three distinct stages: 1) maternal and environmental risk factors for the development of placental malaria; 2) placental pathology and inflammation associated with placental malarial infection; and 3) postnatal impacts of placental malaria. The direct, indirect, and bidirectional effects of these risk factors on infant neurodevelopment across the three stages have been critically examined.

Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases - April 23, 2019 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Harriet L.S. Lawford, Anne CC Lee, Sailesh Kumar, Helen G. Liley, Samudragupta Bora Tags: Review Source Type: research