According to a study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood ailment that significantly increases the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality.

The study′s findings highlight long-known health disparities that harm people with SCD, as well as the need for more disease-specific therapies for pregnant people with the disorder. As per the national data, sickle cell disease patients had a 7.2 per 10,000 maternal mortality rate from 2000 to 2003.

The findings of the study also showed that maternal mortality, which is defined as dying while pregnant, giving birth, or shortly afterward, was highest among those with SCD, at 13.3 per 10,000, compared to 1.2 per 10,000 among pregnant Black people and those without SCD and 0.5 per 10,000 among non-Black, non-SCD patients during the study period.

The researchers noted that despite improvements in the care of people with SCD and improvements in the care of high-risk pregnancies, maternal mortality, and morbidity rates for people with SCD have not improved. According to the researchers, these results indicate that not enough pregnant women with SCD are receiving high-risk OB care and SCD treatment improvements. The researchers demonstrate that these factors also have an impact on patients with SCD. Pregnant black Americans experience significant rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. 

(Source: https://theprint.in/health/study-shows-link-between-sickle-cell-disease-higher-death-risk-in-pregnant-women/1351198/ )