Calling all Travellers!! Malaria tablets: Proguanil & Chloroquine in pregnancy? for little ones?

[grrd]

We are going to travel to India and the nurse and the institute of tropical diseases have advised to take the anti malarial Proguanil & Chloroquine.

I have a child under 3 and am pregnant in my first trimester.

The nurse said that the medication is safe in pregnancy and for little ones.

I still worry about this though.... Really? has anyone been there done that?
Has anyone taken this particular anti malarial in a similar situation? Has everything been ok?

DP says "don't take it, because we'll only go for one week and staying in a hotel..." Personally, I tend to disagree......

(That would be my first impulse, but we cannot cancel the trip btw)

Travellers - WWYD???

Why not trust the nurse? Malaria is a very nasty thing. Being in a hotel doesn't protect you.

yes, your'e right... just worry about this and would feel better in my decision if someone could tell me about their experiences with the above drugs...

I take Hydroxycholoroquine all the time for a bizarre secondary use with autoimmune disease my consultant has always maintained that should I take leave of my senses it would be completely safe for me to take through out a pregnancy and if I was breast feeding. This is coming from a top level rhuematologist who prescribes this medication weekly to women of child bearing age and we take it at twice the anti-malarial dose.

I'd ask for a second opinion and be really specific about where you are going in India. I've been living here for a few years now and was never advised to take anti malarials, nor have any visitors who have come over the years. I'm in Delhi though which is generally considered low risk for malaria, though we still cover up to avoid dengue fever from aug to oct, which is very prevalent. This map www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-(east)/india/india-malaria-map.aspx Might be useful. Typically I can't find it now but there was press reporting quite recently reassessing the need for malaria prophylaxis for travellers to India. I am not a medic so please do get a proper opinion but I would say that unlike many parts of Africa where I always take malaria tabs when travelling (mefloquine is recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding) it doesn't seem common practice to take them here, and I've never come across anyone with malaria, though friends and family have all suffered from dengue. Either way, bring your repellant!

Where in India & when?