β-Thalassemia Minor Is Associated With High Rates of Worsening Anemia in Pregnancy

Worsening of anemia because of β-thalassemia minor in pregnancy is not a well-known complication and, when acknowledged, is described as being limited to mild anemia.

Knowing that individuals with β-thalassemia minor are frequently misdiagnosed as iron deficient, it is possible that worsening of anemia has been systematically misattributed to iron deficiency, which occurs at high rates in pregnancy, although less commonly in β-thalassemia minor.

Alternatively, worsening anemia has been attributed to exaggerated dilutional anemia of pregnancy. Neonatal outcomes are reported to be unchanged or to have an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction, in contrast to outcomes with more severe forms of thalassemia.

This study evaluated the degree of anemia, use of interventions, and clinical outcomes.

Read Publication