Pregnancy in beta-thalassemia trait carriers: an uneventful journey.
Normochromic normocytic anemia during pregnancy reflects the significant increase in plasma volume, which disproportionately exceeds the increase in the red cell volume. In beta-thalassemia (beta-thal) trait carriers who become pregnant the plasma volume expansion may cause more pronounced anemia because the anemia of pregnancy is added to the pre-existed hypochromic microcytic anemia. In beta-thal women, pregnancy outcome and obstetric complications do not differ from the general population. Anemia in beta-thal carriers is generally not severe enough to warrant anxiety. No specific therapy is indicated and pregnant women generally require only supportive care with an anticipated favorable pregnancy outcome.
Department of Haematology, Democritus University of Thrace Medical School, Alexandroupolis, Greece. ktsatala@med.duth.gr
Constantinos
C
Tsatalas
Panagiota
P
Chalkia
Despoina
D
Pantelidou
Dimitrios
D
Margaritis
Georgios
G
Bourikas
Emmanouil
E
Spanoudakis
D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010953:Plasma Volume; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy