Mount Kenya University (MKU) recently hosted a two-day international symposium on placental health and infections during pregnancy. The event, held at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre, brought together specialists from over a dozen institutions in Africa, Europe, and Australia. The symposium was organised in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the Max Delbrück Center in Germany, and the University of Cambridge. The meeting aimed to discuss infections such as malaria, HIV, and Group B Streptococcus, as well as maternal and infant immunity, diagnosis, and genomics.
The symposium's opening speaker, MKU physician-scientist Professor Jesse Gitaka, described the placenta as "the first organ any of us ever had". He noted that the health of the placenta determines whether a baby is born alive, on time, and at a healthy weight. Prof Gitaka, who directs MKU's Centre for Malaria Elimination and Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, said the programme aimed to connect laboratory research with clinical practice, particularly in settings where infectious diseases place a heavy burden on maternal and child health.
University of Nairobi clinician-scientist Professor Moses Obimbo Madadi called for greater collaboration and investment in women's health research. He presented findings on HIV and malaria co-infection, which can contribute to placental inflammation, reduced oxygen supply, and an increased risk of preterm birth. Using light and electron microscopy, his team observed abnormalities in placentas from women living with HIV who were receiving antiretroviral treatment.
Dr Mary Maina, an obstetrician-gynaecologist in Kiambu County, urged health providers to tailor antenatal care to each woman's risk profile. She called on health workers to examine and document placentas following preterm births and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Dr Maina also suggested that regional referral hospitals could establish specialist placental assessment centres.
Dr Hawanatu Jah, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and visiting scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, discussed the challenges emerging as children exposed to HIV and antiretroviral treatment grow into adulthood and start families of their own. She spoke about the PRECISE pregnancy cohort, launched in 2019 in The Gambia, Kenya, and Mozambique, which examines pregnancy complications and their effects on child development and mothers' mental health.
Dr Ricardo Ataide, a senior research fellow at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia, discussed how iron levels may influence malaria infection during pregnancy. He described how concerns raised by iron supplementation trials had prompted debate, while intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy had been used successfully.
The symposium featured several keynote speakers, including Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri of the University of Cambridge and Dr Angela Koech of Aga Khan University. MKU Vice-Chancellor Professor Deogratius Jaganyi said the university would continue investing in the training of healthcare professionals, adding that a country's advancement was closely linked to the health of its people.
Key points
- The symposium aimed to connect laboratory research with clinical practice to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
- Researchers discussed infections such as malaria, HIV, and Group B Streptococcus, as well as maternal and infant immunity, diagnosis, and genomics.
- The event was organised in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the Max Delbrück Center in Germany, and the University of Cambridge.
