ISSN:
1471-0528
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
In 12 years, 90 pregnancies were studied in 51 Nigerians with the following abnormal haemoglobin types: C homozygotes (39 patients), S-β-Thalassaemia (5 patients), high fetal haemoglobin combined with haemoglobin S (4 patients) double heterozygotes (2 patients) and high fetal haemoglobin combined with haemoglobin C (1 patient). There were no maternal deaths.Homozygous C haemoglobin is associated with anaemia and splenomegaly. High fetal haemoglobin combined with S, or C, and also double heterozygotes are apparently innocuous in pregnancy. Therefore, no specific treatment is required in these haemoglobin types, apart from the prevention of anaemia by folic acid supplements in all cases, with the addition of oral iron and antimalarial drugs in areas where iron deficiency anaemia is common and malaria is holoendemic.By contrast patients with haemoglobin S-β-Thalassaemia require close supervision throughout pregnancy since this haemoglobinopathy is associated with anaemia, bone pain crises and an increased risk of postpartum haemorrhage. However, it is less morbid in comparison with haemoglobin SS and SC.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1972.tb14178.x
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