title: Successful full-term pregnancy in homozygous beta-thalassemia major: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Patients afflicted by homozygous beta-thalassemia suffer from severe anemia and hypersplenism and are dependent on blood transfusions. The consequent hypoxia and massive tissue iron deposition lead to concomitant cardiac, hepatic, and endocrine system failure. Hemodynamic changes related to gestation may aggravate the underlying multiorgan damage of the pregnant mother and lead to high fetal wastage. These entanglements may be prevented by performing thorough maternal and fetal surveillance and by maintaining the hemoglobin concentration above 10 g/dL. We describe a successful full-term pregnancy in a patient with transfusion-dependent homozygous beta-thalassemia major.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mordel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birkenfeld
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rachmilewitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002996:Clomiphene; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002996:Clomiphene