Can malaria tablets harm an unborn baby?
The simple answer to your question is yes, it can be dangerous to take certain anti-malaria tablets whilst trying for a baby because several of them have a potential to cause fetal abnormalities. In many respects you should try to avoid travelling to any malarial areas. Although some tablets can be taken in pregnancy, if necessary, the ideal thing is to take no unnecessary medication whatsoever in the early stages of pregnancy. No tablets can provide complete protection against malaria anyway. Malaria can be more serious in pregnant women. The first third of pregnancy is when your baby is most at risk of the effects of anti-malaria medication. Your GP and any travel clinic you use will advise you to avoid travel to endemic malaria areas if you possibly can, but of course in certain circumstances it may be unavoidable. In that case you need to check not only the country involved but also the area and the resort you will be staying in for the level of malaria infection and whether there
