A Case of Very Severe Anemia in Pregnancy Combined with Beta-Thalassemia Major and Pre-Eclampsia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical diagnosis, preventive antenatal screening and antenatal diagnosis, pregnancy management, timing and mode of delivery and postnatal management of β-thalassaemia in pregnancy combined. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the medical history and treatment of a patient with β-thalassaemia in pregnancy combined with pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: The patient recovered well, had a normal temperature, the abdominal incision was removed at 7 d, the II/nail healed, the general obstetric condition was acceptable and she was discharged successfully. CONCLUSION: Anaemia is very common in pregnancy, but very severe anaemia in pregnancy is extremely rare and it is important to define the cause of anaemia. Thalassaemia is a group of inherited chronic haemolytic disorders caused by autosomal defects, which can be aggravated by pregnancy. Thalassaemia can be divided into α-, β-, γ-, δ-, δβ- and other categories, and for β-thalassaemia it can be divided into mild, moderate and severe, with both intermediate and severe patients presenting early with obvious anaemic symptoms and relying on long-term transfusion therapy. The majority of these patients die in childhood and are extremely rare in pregnancy. Thalassaemia in pregnancy can directly affect the outcome of pregnancy and cause many near and long-term complications in the newborn, and timely antenatal screening and prenatal diagnosis can detect the disease early. Active obstetric management and timing of pregnancy can also help to improve maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes.