The study, conducted in 647 mother-infant pairs examined the role of maternal antibodies in protecting infants from malaria infection and disease. This study is the first demonstration that antibodies to a specific malaria protein, SEA-1, from the mother can confer resistance to severe malaria or death in the offspring. The results also suggest that vaccinating pregnant women with PfSEA-1 could help their infants survive malaria infection.

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/womens-health-science-advances-fy-2018