title: At term pregnancies in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemic women.
abstract: The health background management and outcome of five pregnancies in women affected by Cooley Disease are described and the preconceptual guidance and care are considered. The patients were selected from a group of 103 thalassemic women divided into three subgroups according to their first and successive menstruation characteristics. Only one woman needed induction of ovulation. A precise and detailed pre-pregnancy assessment was done before each conception. All the women were in labour at 38 weeks' gestation, and five healthy babies were born at term, weighing between 2,600 and 3,200 g. The improvement in current treatments will result in a continuous increase in pregnancies in thalassemic women, making pregnancy a real eventuality for them. Furthermore, we are studying the possibility of collecting foetus umbilical cord blood after delivery, with the aim of obtaining complete marrow reconstitution in an attempt at heterologous transplantation to the mother.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, S. Bambino Hospital, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pafumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pernicone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bandiera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mangiafico
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cianci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000628:therapy*