Sickle cell disease in pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: To determine the maternal and neonatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by sickle cell disease. Method: The maternal characteristics and antenatal course of patients with sickle cell disease were studied. The patients were treated with either repeated blood transfusions or with exchange transfusion and the development of sickle crisis or hemolytic crisis, preterm labor, chest or urinary tract infections and thromboembolic phenomena were noted. The neonatal outcome was recorded. Results: The antenatal course of the 25 patients recruited was uneventful for 11 (44%) patients while 14 (56%) required repeated admissions for complications. Five (20%) received repeated blood transfusions while 3 (12%) had exchange transfusion. Four neonates (16%) were of low birth weight due to preterm delivery and intra-uterine growth retardation. No perinatal deaths occurred in this study. Conclusion: Sickle cell disease was associated with increased maternal morbidity but neonatal and maternal mortality was nil, a result which is much better than previously reported.