Helminth control programmes based on preventive chemotherapy against soiltransmitted helminthiases and schistosomiasis are continuing to scale up. In 2021, the global coverage of preventive chemotherapy reached 62.2% for soil-transmitted helminthiases and 40.3% for schistosomiasis; more than 650 million individuals were treated with albendazole and mebendazole for soil-transmitted helminthiases and with praziquantel for schistosomiasis.
Many vaccines and drugs hold the promise of reducing mortality and morbidity among pregnant women and infants living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, sufficient information on the safety of drugs and vaccines in pregnant women is rarely available at the time of product licensure or approval.