women s health issues
Anemia During Pregnancy
Sickle Cell Disease
In addition to causing symptoms of anemia, Sickle Cell Disease increases the risk of the following during pregnancy: Infections: Overview of Pneumonia , High blood pressure: About one third of pregnant women who have sickle cell disease develop High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy . Heart Failure (HF) None Blockage of arteries in the lungs by blood clots ( Pulmonary Embolism (PE) ): This problem may be life threatening. Problems in the fetus: The fetus may grow slowly or not as much as expected ( Small-for-Gestational-Age (SGA) Newborns ). The fetus may be A sudden, severe attack of pain, called sickle cell crisis, may occur during pregnancy as at any other time. The more severe that sickle cell disease is before pregnancy, the higher the risk of health problems for pregnant women and the fetus, and the higher the risk of death for the fetus during pregnancy. Sickle cell anemia almost always worsens as pregnancy progresses. If given regular blood transfusions, women with sickle cell disease are less likely to have sickle cell crises, but they become more likely to reject the transfused blood. This condition, called alloimmunization, can be life threatening. Also, transfusions to pregnant women do not reduce risks for the fetus. Thus, transfusions are used only if one of the following occurs: The anemia causes symptoms, heart failure, or a severe bacterial infection. Serious problems, such as bleeding or an infection of the blood (sepsis), develop during labor and delivery. If a sickle cell crisis occurs, women are treated as they would be if they were not pregnant. They are hospitalized and given fluids intravenously, oxygen, and drugs to relieve pain. If the anemia is severe, they are given a blood transfusion. 