Pregnancy in patients treated for beta thalassemia major in two centers (Ali Asghar Children's Hospital and Thalassemia Clinic): outcome for mothers and newborn infants

Abstract

Beta-thalassemia major is a severe, transfusion-dependent anemia that also causes infertility due to iron deposition to endocrine organs after overtransfusion. Very few pregnancies have been reported among such patients after modern therapies. In this study, 32 women with thalassemia who were admitted to Ali Asghar Children's Hospital and Thalassemia Clinic conceived spontaneously following prolonged intensive treatment with hypertransfusion and iron chelation. The aim of this study was to estimate the fertility (spontaneous ovulation or induced ovulation) and pregnancy complications for mothers and newborns. These complications included cardiac failure, endocrine and hepatic parameters monitored throughout pregnancy and postpartum, viral infections, term and preterm deliveries, and complications of pregnancy. All case notes were examined and data were analyzed with SPSS software. Twelve babies were delivered by elective cesarean section and the remainder were delivered vaginally. The mean birthweight was 2678 g. All babies were normal; 45 cases were mature and 5 were preterm; 12 cases were aborted spontaneously. Twenty-seven mothers had no cardiac problems, but 5 had cardiac failure. Pregnancy can be safe for mothers and babies in women started early on intensive treatment.