First Pregnancy and scared to death.....

I apologize for asking for help my first day to this amazing website but i couldn't help but ask for advise.

I recently found out I am pregnant (about 7weeks) and I am not sure how my Thalassemia is going to effect it. I have spent some time reading a lot of these posts (and I thank you all for sharing your stories) but my situation is a little different as for the first time in my life my HB is 12! I usually run around 10 but now my MCV has dropped to 62.9. My doctor just wants me to have another CBC done and I am fearful that she does not understand Thalassemia. I guess I am asking for advise on what I should ask of my doctor. I have heard there is a large risk of miscarriage and i want to make sure she knows what she is doing.

Any advise on what i should be asking my doctor and what I need to keep an eye on would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a Bunch...
Christina Rowe

Hi Christine,

I assume you have thal minor. We have a compilation of thal minor/pregnancy threads that you can see at
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=3041.msg30075#msg30075

Your Hb Level is good now, so your pregnancy may be uneventful. As Dore said, take a folic acid supplement daily. Thal minors should take a higher dose during pregnancy than non-thals take. Take at least 2 mg daily. I would also recommend a good multi-vitamin and possibly also a natural vitamin E supplement. This has many benefits including being a mild blood thinner, which can be very important to minors during pregnancy. From the numerous reports we have had from thal minors who have miscarried, we have to conclude that miscarriage can be an issue for some thal minors. Most doctors, including thal specialists do not seem aware of this but we have had dozens and dozens of thal minors tell us about miscarriages, so we know that there is something to this. My suspicion is that it is tied to Hb level to some extent, with lower Hb creating the conditions that make miscarriage more likely. In major and intermedia, it has been established that a hypercoagulable state exists, which leads to clotting problems between the uterus and placenta, leading to a reduction in blood flow between the two, which sometimes causes miscarriage. Because of the sheer volume of women who have told us about their miscarriages (many times multiple miscarriages), I have to believe that the same condition can exist in minors. Ask your doctor to monitor for any signs of thrombosis during the pregnancy. Often, the remedy is as simple as taking a daily baby aspirin.

Please don't be afraid, as most minors have no problem during pregnancy and your Hb level is currently robust. I would also like to add that a dear friend who is a thal minor just sent me pics yesterday of her happy, healthy boy/girl twin babies. Her pregnancy was normal, she took at least 2 mg folic acid daily and she gave birth to two beautiful babies. Eat healthy, exercise in moderation and listen to your body.

Thank you all so much for your quick responses...

It is very reassuring to know that I have a community to come to that understands Thal Minor....

I will keep you all posted on my progress...

Best Wishes,
Christina Rowe