This study, conceived in 2002 and carried out between 2004 and 2006, had therefore two different components: on one side, it investigated whether promoting regular and early antenatal attendance of pregnant women through community based health education would increase coverage and uptake of IPTp; on the other side, it investigated the effectiveness of IPTp-SP compared with weekly CQ, in order to provide additional evidence to the Burkinabé Ministry of Health for an impending policy change.