Table of contents:
- Is pregnant with thalassemia bad for the fetus and mother?
- What is the treatment if you are pregnant with thalassemia?
- Will thalassemia in pregnancy have an impact on later delivery?
- Will the child who is born later have thalassemia as well?
Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder that makes a person unable to produce protein in the blood (hemoglobin). This puts people with thalassemia at risk of experiencing blood shortages and anemia. So, what if a woman with thalassemia becomes pregnant? Will thalassemia in pregnancy affect the condition of the mother and the fetus? Can women who are pregnant with thalassemia give birth normally? What should be considered? Check out the following reviews.
Is pregnant with thalassemia bad for the fetus and mother?
Usually, people with thalassemia need regular blood transfusions. This is because this disease makes the patient unable to produce hemoglobin which carries oxygen and food in the blood. This condition can be a big problem for the health of both mother and fetus. The following are conditions that can be experienced by women with thalassemia that need to be considered before and during pregnancy:
- Cardiomyopathy
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Osteporosis
Meanwhile, the health of the fetus can also be disturbed. The risks that babies face when their mother is pregnant with thalassemia are:
- Growth disorders
- Low birth weight
- Birth defects
- Spina bifida
Even so, it is not certain that mothers with thalassemia will experience these things. Therefore, thalassemia in pregnancy should always be monitored.
What is the treatment if you are pregnant with thalassemia?
There was no difference in the treatment of thalassemic women who were pregnant with thalassemia women who were not pregnant. The treatment depends on the type of thalassemia you are suffering from, you can get regular oral medication so that you have to have regular blood transfusions.
You need to do regular blood transfusions if you have alpha thalassemia, because this type of thalassemia will make you have chronic anemia. Meanwhile, if you have beta thalassemia, the treatment given will be more varied.
Women who are pregnant with thalassemia should also take more folic acid supplements to prevent the risk of spina bifida in the baby when he is born. Folic acid needed for women with thalassemia is about 5 mg per day. In fact, this supplement has been recommended when you have started planning to become pregnant. To know exactly when you can take this supplement, discuss it with your doctor.
In addition, antenatal care must also be carried out regularly and more frequently. Doctors recommend doing an ultrasound earlier, that is, when the gestational age is 7-9. When the pregnancy reaches 18 weeks, it is recommended that you do a fetal biometry check every 4 weeks until the gestational age reaches 24 weeks.
Will thalassemia in pregnancy have an impact on later delivery?
You can still give birth normally (vaginally). If indeed your condition and the fetus are fine, then there is no need for a caesarean section. Thalassemia in pregnancy is not a sign that you will definitely have to have a caesarean section later.
No special procedures are performed when the labor is carried out. This will be adjusted to the condition of you and the fetus. However, mothers with thalassemia are at risk for heart function problems and have very low hemoglobin counts during labor.
However, fear not, the doctor will certainly try to minimize the risks that occur during labor. If you have your own fears, discuss it with your doctor before the delivery day comes.
Will the child who is born later have thalassemia as well?
Given that thalassemia is a genetic or hereditary disease, there is a possibility that your child will experience this blood disorder as well. However, this depends on the type of gene it carries. It could be that your little one is only a "carrier" of the thalassemia gene, that is, there is a thalassemia gene in his body but it is not active, so that your little one is only a carrier of the gene.
Meanwhile, it is possible that he will inherit thalassemia directly - not just carrying genes - if this happens, then you should immediately get your little one checked by a pediatrician.
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