Muscat – A new study funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation’s Block Funding Programme has revealed increased maternal and neonatal risks for pregnant women living with sickle cell disease (SCD). Led by Salwa al Harthi, senior staff nurse at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, the research provides evidence on pregnancy complications associated […]
Muscat – A new study funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation’s Block Funding Programme has revealed increased maternal and neonatal risks for pregnant women living with sickle cell disease (SCD).
Led by Salwa al Harthi, senior staff nurse at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, the research provides evidence on pregnancy complications associated with SCD and highlights the need for improved clinical care.
Titled Adverse Pregnancy, Foet-al and Neonatal Outcomes in Wom- en with Sickle Cell Disease: A Retrospective Case Control Study, it reviewed 171 pregnancies in wom- en with SCD and compared these with 171 pregnancies in non-SCD women. It examined medical records in Muscat between Janu-ary 2015 and August 2021, focusing on complications including preterm labour, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, severe anaemia, foetal distress, low APGAR scores, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight and neonatal intensive care requirements.
The findings showed significantly higher risks for women with SCD. Severe anaemia was closely associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, while mothers with SCD were more likely to deliver infants with intrauterine growth restriction or low birth weight.
Newborns of SCD mothers were found to be nearly four times more likely to require admission for neonatal intensive care. Low haemoglobin levels, pre-existing medical or surgical conditions and preterm delivery were also identified as key predictors of complications.
While challenges persist, the study noted that foetal mortality rates in Oman remain relatively low, reflecting ongoing improvements in antenatal care and clinical management.
Given the increased vulnerability of this group, Salwa emphasised the need for a multidisciplinary approach involving obstetric, haematology, neonatal and midwifery teams. She called for further research into additional risk predictors, potential links between SCD and congenital anomalies and the optimal timing of delivery for affected women in Oman.
The study was published in Women’s Health and conducted by Dr Judie Arulappan and Dr Basma al Yazeedi, besides Salwa.
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