title: [Beta thalassemia major and pregnancy during adolescence: report of two cases].
abstract: Beta thalassemia major is a rare hereditary blood disease in which impaired synthesis of beta globin chains causes severe anemia. Medical treatment consists of chronic blood transfusions and iron chelation. We describe two cases of adolescents with beta thalassemia major with unplanned pregnancies and late onset of prenatal care. One had worsening of anemia with increased transfusional requirement, fetal growth restriction, and placental senescence. The other was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism and low maternal weight, and was admitted twice during pregnancy due to dengue shock syndrome and influenza H1N1-associated respiratory infection. She also developed fetal growth restriction and underwent vaginal delivery at term complicated by uterine hypotonia. Both patients required blood transfusions after birth and chose medroxyprogesterone as a contraceptive method afterwards. This report highlights the importance of medical advice on contraceptive methods for these women and the role of a specialized prenatal follow-up in association with a hematologist.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Augusto Monteiro Castro
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Trigo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Garanhani
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Surita
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mary Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Parpinelli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Belmiro Gonçalves
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kleber Yotsumoto
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Fertrin
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tocoginecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy