The intention of the study is to evaluate the risk of artemisinin in early pregnancy through the use of a qualitative research approach, with a focus on rural women in Babati District, Manyara Region, Tanzania.

Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy (ACT) is the most effective and recommended antimalarial treatment at the present. Artemisinin compounds are extracted from Artemisia annua, a plant which has been used as an herbal medical treatment in China for 2000 years.

Except few side-effects, there have not been any reports on medical problems due to artemisinin intake during pregnancy. On the other hand, artemisinin tested on animals have revealed that complications such as death of embryos are possible during pregnancy, why more research is needed concerning artemisinin safety in first trimester of pregnancy.

However, evaluating the risk of artemisinin in pregnancy is referred as complex, when numerous factors could contribute to e.g. fetal loss, abnormalities, or wrong medication. Cultural and economical aspects have to be considered when designing a monitoring system, to enable effective registration of drug quality and drug intake, and follow-up study of mother and child. Accessibility, affordability, possibility and knowledge, are other significant related aspects that have to be managed to eliminate the risk of artemisinin in early pregnancy.