 |
| Image Source: LSHTM Twitter crop |
A drug given to pregnant
women in 35 countries worldwide to protect against malaria has been shown also
to safeguard against common sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
according to new research.
BBC
Health News report continues:
The
findings mean that one drug may offer protection simultaneously for two areas
that pose major health risks to mothers and their babies.
As
well as protecting mothers against malaria, the sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine
(SP) was also shown to safeguard against the consequences of gonorrhoea,
chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis, the London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said.
There
are 880,000 stillbirths and 1.2 million newborn deaths each year in sub-Saharan
Africa, many of which are linked to maternal infection.
The authors hope that preventative treatment for pregnant mothers in malaria-hit regions will be scaled up as a result of the findings.
No comments:
Post a Comment