ABSTRACT
PIP: A retrospective study of 35 HbSS and 15 HbSC pregnant patients was undertaken to illustrate the hazards to both mother and child of gestations associated with these hemoglobinopathies. It was found that these patients experienced a 10% to 14% maternal mortality rate and a 51% to 55% perinatal mortality rate. The fact that the mother, due to her illness, cannot care for the child, coupled with the poor medical health that the offspring themselves have if they too inherit the homozygous gene, provides additional support to the concept that some form of relief should be offered these women. Based on the figures of this study and those of others, aggressive genetic counseling to the women is advocated including liberal surgical sterilization and primary abortion in certain cases.^ieng
