Severe malaria in pregnancy remains a major contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. When complicated by thrombocytopenia and fetal distress, management is particularly challenging in resource-limited settings, creating an ethical and clinical dilemma of whether to proceed with urgent delivery or delay it for maternal stabilization. We report a 31-year-old multiparous Ghanaian woman at 37 weeks and 2 days of gestation, referred with suspected pre-eclampsia and fetal distress following a recent malaria episode treated with oral Artemether-Lumefantrine.

The patient had received five doses of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine between 16 and 33 weeks of gestation. The patient did not use the insecticide-treated net provided at booking during this pregnancy. Investigations revealed severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria (parasite density 22,268/μL), moderate anemia (Hb 8.9 g/dL), marked thrombocytopenia (37 × 109/L), and persistent fetal tachycardia (162–187 bpm). Emergency cesarean section was deferred due to unavailable blood products.

The patient received intravenous Artesunate and supportive care, resulting in maternal stabilization and resolution of fetal tachycardia. One week later, induction of labor led to spontaneous vaginal delivery of a healthy infant. This case underscores overlapping malaria and hypertensive disorders, declining preventive efficacy, and health-system challenges, highlighting the importance of vigilant maternal stabilization and adaptive management to improve outcomes.

Papa Kwasi Opare is a medical doctor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Ghana. He holds an MBChB from the University of Health and Allied Sciences and is pursuing an MPH and an MBA. His research focuses on maternal health, global health leadership, and diagnostics.