malaria tablets when pregnant?

[penelope28]

I will be 14 weeks pregnant when we travel to Kenya in January for our Wedding.
I have been advised by my doctor to take Malerone Malaria tablets.
However this is causing me great concern and worry and I wondered if anyone could give advice or has been in the same situation? Thanks

The fatality rate for malaria is significantly higher in pregnancy.

For heaven's sake, take them.

I was told by a Foreign Office nurse that I couldn't have malaria tablets if there was a possiility that I might be pregnant. Turns out I was. That's all I know.

It's vital that you protect yourself, as I said above.

But I've checked, and the safety of malarone during pregnancy has not been established.

There are alternatives: chloroquin & proguanil (combined), or 2nd trimester onwards mefloquine. But whether these drugs are suitable depends on where you're going and whether there are resistant strains there.

You probably need to see a travel medicine specialist to get the right risk/benefit balance for you.

These drugs can make you very nauseous whilst pregnant. It might be worth asking for advice on how to take them (to get an effective dose) if you're throwing up.

Do remember to start taking them at the recommended interval before you go, and for the full period afterwards (it's a pain, as it's a few weeks - but that is required to cover the full period of potential infectivity).

Bite prevention is vital! If you're not bitten, you can't get it. But it only takes one bite, so it would be imprudent to rely solely on that especially when pregnant.