[Outcomes of pregnancy among women with alpha-thalassemia minor: A retrospective study of Pingguo county in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region]

Pregnancy outcomes in women affected by fetal alpha-thalassemia: a case control study

To evaluate the possible associations between fetal α-thalassemia and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes using a provincial woman-child health service information database in China. This was a case control study (N = 438,747) in which we compared all singleton pregnancies of women with or without the α-thalassemia trait from May 2016 to May 2020, and where women with the trait were further allocated to a normal fetal group, a group of fetuses with the α-thalassemia trait, and a fetal group with hemoglobin H (HbH) disease according to the results of fetal DNA analysis. With thalassemic women whose fetuses were normal as the reference, fetuses in the HbH disease group showed a higher increase in the odds of Apgar scores being < 7 at 1 min (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.79; 1.03–7.59) and 5 min (aOR, 4.56; 1.07–19.40). With non-thalassemic women as the reference, these trends were more obvious (aOR, 4.83; 2.55–9.16; aOR, 6.24; 2.75–14.18, respectively); whereas the normal fetal group was more likely to be diagnosed with postpartum hemorrhage (aOR, 1.66; 1.10–2.50). In addition, fetal HbH disease and gestational age were two independent factors influencing low Apgar scores, and their combination reflected medium accuracy in Apgar predictions.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with a hemoglobinopathy trait: a multicenter, retrospective study

Purpose

To determine the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with a hemoglobinopathy trait.

Materials and methods

Retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes between pregnant women with a hemoglobinopathy trait (study group; n = 172), and without a hemoglobinopathy trait (control group; n = 360). The medical data were extracted from clinical records of pregnant women attending antenatal care and delivering at the University Hospital Basel or University Hospital Zurich between 2015 and 2018.

Results

A total of 172 pregnant women with a hemoglobinopathy trait and 360 controls were recruited. Apart from fetal acidosis, the groups did not differ significantly in any variables of adverse neonatal outcomes. Whereas, among the maternal outcomes the rate of abortion, gestational diabetes mellitus, bacteriuria or urinary tract infection, intrahepatic cholestasis, abnormal placentation and anemia postpartum were significantly increased in women with a hemoglobinopathy trait.

Conclusion

In our study, a hemoglobinopathy trait increased the risk of adverse maternal outcomes but did not increase adverse neonatal outcomes.