The World Health Organization made new rules for doctors treating pregnant women with sickle cell disease. This blood condition makes red cells look like curved moons and blocks blood flow throughout the body. Women with this disease face much higher chances of dying during pregnancy than healthy mothers.
The disease causes severe pain attacks and serious health problems like strokes and organ damage. Pregnant women with sickle cell disease often develop dangerous complications such as high blood pressure. Their babies may be born too early or die before birth.
Around 7.7 million people worldwide have sickle cell disease and numbers keep growing each year. The condition kills more than 375,000 people annually and affects mostly people from Africa and other hot regions. Population movement has spread the disease to new countries where doctors need better training.
The new medical guidelines tell doctors how to give proper vitamins and prevent blood clots during pregnancy. Healthcare workers must watch both mother and baby more closely throughout the pregnancy. The rules stress that doctors should treat each woman with respect and avoid discrimination.
Sickle cell disease gets little research money despite affecting millions of people. Scientists need to study how treatments work for pregnant and nursing mothers since they rarely participate in medical studies.
The disease causes severe pain attacks and serious health problems like strokes and organ damage. Pregnant women with sickle cell disease often develop dangerous complications such as high blood pressure. Their babies may be born too early or die before birth.
Around 7.7 million people worldwide have sickle cell disease and numbers keep growing each year. The condition kills more than 375,000 people annually and affects mostly people from Africa and other hot regions. Population movement has spread the disease to new countries where doctors need better training.
The new medical guidelines tell doctors how to give proper vitamins and prevent blood clots during pregnancy. Healthcare workers must watch both mother and baby more closely throughout the pregnancy. The rules stress that doctors should treat each woman with respect and avoid discrimination.
Sickle cell disease gets little research money despite affecting millions of people. Scientists need to study how treatments work for pregnant and nursing mothers since they rarely participate in medical studies.
