Kaushik, ASharma, V KSadhana,Kumar, R1992-06-012009-06-011992-06-012009-06-011992-06-01Kaushik A, Sharma VK, Sadhana , Kumar R. Malarial placental infection and low birth weight babies. Journal of Communicable Diseases. 1992 Jun; 24(2): 65-9http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/111898Two-hundred fifty-six mothers and their newborns were subjected to clinical and haematological tests for the evidence of malaria. Placentae of these were examined histopathologically for malarial parasites and malarial pigment. Forty six placentae showed scanty malarial pigment ingested by monocytes. These appearances were associated with focal syncytial necrosis and proliferation of cytotrophoblastic cells. Plasmodium falciparum was found in cord blood of six cases. The mean weight of newborns born to mothers having no evidence of malarial placental infection was 2.763 kg, while mean weight of newborns belonging to infected placentae was 2.143 kg. The difference was highly significant.engBirth WeightFemaleFetal Blood --parasitologyHumansInfant, Low Birth WeightInfant, NewbornMalaria, Falciparum --bloodMaleMonocytes --pathologyNecrosisParityPlacenta Diseases --bloodPregnancyJournal Article