Thalassemia minor anyone?

[leepod]

Due to my Mediterranean roots, I have thalassemia minor. This is an inherited blood condition where the body has difficulty making haemoglobin.

I didn't really think much of it, as I largely show no systems (though do tend to get really tired easily). People with thalassemia major have severe health problems and often need regular blood transfusions.

I got my booking in appointment and first set of bloods taken by the midwife quite a way into my first trimester. She mentioned that sometimes, people with thalassemia are advised to have ward labours as there may be complications if haemoglobin levels drop too far or too much blood is lost and a transfusion is required.

That scared me a bit, and started a frantic googling session (which I know isn't always the best thing to do!)...

I then discovered that ladies with thalassemia usually take a higher dose of folic acid (5,000ug a day compared to the 400ug usually advised). I am now just over 10 weeks pregnant and haven't done that....

I saw the GP today and got a prescription for the higher dose folic acid.... But just a bit bewildered that I haven't taken enough and at a soon enough time...... Apparently my haemoglobin levels are on the slightly low side at 11.1.

Anyone out there with any experience of thalassemia minor and pregnancy? Would really welcome sharing any thoughts or experiences...

Anything I should bear in mind? Is there anything i should be keeping an eye on?

Thankfully, my partner is not a thalassemia carrier, and our little baby only has a 1/4 chance of carrying the gene...

Sorry for the long post...

I have this.

I don't think my experience will be very useful though because the thalassemia wasn't an issue (once I'd told my GP I am a carrier and he had stopped panicking about my iron levels which as you know are naturally lower).

Most births here in France are in hospitals/clinics and it's hard to find midwives for home births so I didn't even consider it.

I didn't take any folic acid let alone extra during my pregnancies because it wasn't standard practice over here at that time and I only heard about if from friends in the UK when it was 'too late'. Neither of my children appear to have suffered from this although my diet was relatively high in folic acid.

I did have to have a transfusion after giving birth to one of my babies.

Hello Othersideofthechannel

Thanks for the reply - really pleased to read that everything turned out alright despite not taking the huge doses of folic acid.

I too have been eating as healthily as I can (along with the cheesy crisps which seem to help quell the morning sickness!).

The midwife led birthing centre is in the same building as the hospital, so I may still ask to start the birth centre. I'd imagine if a transfusion is required, I could be briskly wheeled across to the emergency or labour wards...?

Did you need to keep a closer eye on your blood levels (haemoglobin, ferritin etc) because of the thalassemia?

I am not immune to toxoplasmosis (sp?) so under the French system had to have my blood tested every month anyway to check I not had picked that up. So the docs were keeping an eye on my haemoglobin levels etc at the same time. But there weren't any probs during the pregnancy or childbirth. They gave me the transfusion two days afterwards (you stay in hospital for 4 days here).