Blood Transfusions to Prevent Complications in Pregnant Women With Sickle Cell Disease

This trial is testing whether regular blood transfusions during pregnancy can help prevent serious complications in women with sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to become stiff and block blood vessels, which can lead to severe pain, organ damage, and dangerous complications during pregnancy. Researchers want to know if blood transfusions can protect both mother and baby during this critical time.

Pregnant women with sickle cell disease face much higher rates of life-threatening complications—including severe pain crises, chest emergencies, and miscarriage—compared to pregnant women without the disease. While blood transfusions are already used to prevent stroke and prepare patients for surgery, no one has studied whether regular transfusions during pregnancy actually prevent pregnancy-related complications, and doctors currently decide on a case-by-case basis whether to offer this treatment.