Complications of sickle cell anemia during pregnancy for maternal and fetal health

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder in which a mutation occurs in the beta globin gene that produces hemoglobin A (HbA), resulting in an abnormal hemoglobin called hemoglobin S (HbS) and is related to organ-compromising conditions and potentially fatal complications. Objective: To analyze the complications of sickle cell anemia during pregnancy for maternal and fetal health. Method: This is an integrative literature review, carried out in the BVS, PUBMED and WEB OF SCIENCE databases, using the descriptors: “Sickle Cell Anemia”, “Pregnancy”, “Complications” and “Perinatal Care”, combined with each other by the Boolean operator AND and OR. To direct the study, the guiding question adopted was: “What are the implications of sickle cell anemia during pregnancy for maternal and fetal health?”. Studies available in full, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, published in the last five years were used, from which 10 studies were selected to compose this review. Results: The studies analyzed found that patients with sickle cell anemia are more likely to have severe anemia, pain crises, urinary tract infection and acute chest syndrome. In this context, pregnant women with the disease have an increased risk of pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, premature labor, cesarean section and maternal death. For the fetus, it can result in adverse events such as intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, fetal distress, stillbirth, intrauterine and neonatal fetal death. Conclusion: Therefore, the need for careful and rigorous monitoring and follow-up by a multidisciplinary team to minimize the complications caused by the disease becomes evident.