Pregnancy brings physical and psychological changes to the body. From my perspective of being a mother, my main concern while pregnant was, am I doing everything correctly to keep my baby and myself healthy and safe. For a Black woman with sickle cell disease (SCD), this comes ten times harder. She can be doing everything correctly, but because she has an underlying health condition, she has a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications.
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders that affect hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body. When the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, this interferes with the blood cells’ ability to transport oxygen around the body. Sickle cell disease requires ongoing medical care.
Black women with sickle cell disease experience significantly worse pregnancy outcomes compared to those without sickle cell disease.
Due to:
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- Underlying health conditions, such as sickle cell disease
- Physiological changes (increased heart rate, cardiac output, exhaustion, etc.)
- Sickle cell disease-related stress on the body
- Family health history
The effect sickle cell disease has on maternal outcomes for Black women:
- Preeclampsia
- Stillbirth
- Miscarriage
- Inpatient maternal mortality(during pregnancy or right after birth)
- Postpartum hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding after birth)
- More likely to give birth via C-section
- Having a baby with a low birth weight
- Sepsis(a life-threatening complication of an infection)
- Blood clots and/or venous thromboembolism( a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein
- More frequent sickle cell crisis
- Acute chest syndrome
- Vision problems
In addition to knowing the risks of pregnancy-related complications, it’s necessary to be aware of the warning signs and when a doctor’s visit is mandatory. Maternal warning signs as it pertains to Black women with sickle cell:
- Baby’s movement has stopped or slowed down
- Severe belly pain that won’t go away
- Dizziness or fainting
- Headaches that get worse over time / won’t go away
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Extreme swelling in hands, legs and arms
Prenatal care is important, especially for Black women with sickle cell disease. Having a healthcare provider/team that can help improve maternal outcomes will make a great difference during pregnancy.
They can:
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- Provide effective care and treatment
- Assess the state of mental, physical and emotional health of the mother
- Decrease chances of maternal and child mortality
- Spot any oncoming health concerns /problems early on and start treatment if needed
- Find/offer safe ways to treat problems related to sickle cell disease, like pain crises (they tend to become more severe during pregnancy)
- Prevent harmful infections
- Prevent blood clots
- Offer information
- Answer questions and concerns
Routine care will help manage and prevent pregnancy-related complications as it pertains to Black women with sickle cell disease. If you’re in need of a culturally sensitive doctor, click here.
