title: High-risk pregnancy in beta-thalassemia major women. Report of three cases.
abstract: Reproductive failure is common in beta-thalassemia major patients because of endocrine damage resulting from iron overload. Here 3 full-term pregnancies following spontaneous ovulation in 2 splenectomized beta-thalassemia major women are reported. The main echocardiographic parameters, such as left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, fractional shortening and ejection fraction, were within the normal range before pregnancy, but worsened during gestation, and 1 patient developed pre-congestive heart failure. Deferoxamine therapy was continued throughout 2 pregnancies, while in the other it was stopped after 8 weeks: no abnormalities were noted in the children. Thanks to the currently applied therapies, an increased number of pregnancies may now be expected in beta-thalassemia major women: it is important to find out more about the pregnancy-related problems and their management in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vito Fazzi Regional Hospital, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perniola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magliari
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rosatelli
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: De Marzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D003676:Deferoxamine; D001241:Aspirin