Congenital hemolytic disease and related information that pregnant mothers should know

Congenital hemolytic disease is an inherited condition. Many pregnant mothers often do not know they are suffering from this disease until pregnancy.

Congenital hemolysis refers to a group of blood diseases when hemoglobin production abnormally occurs. If you have an illness or suspect that you are a carrier and are thinking of becoming pregnant, consult other information regarding this condition for a stable, safe pregnancy.

What is congenital hemolytic disease (Thalassemia)?

Congenital hemolytic disease is an inherited blood disorder. It occurs when genes are mutated that affect the body's ability to make healthy hemoglobin and iron-rich protein in red blood cells.

Hemoglobin carries oxygen to all parts of the body and transports carbon dioxide to the lungs for elimination. When genes are mutated, they will change forever. Therefore, hemolysis becomes a condition that stays with the sufferer until the end of life.

Types of congenital hemolysis

There are different types of congenital hemolysis, most of which depend on which part of the hemoglobin is affected. Hemoglobin is a hemoglobin made up of a balance of major protein chains: the alpha chain and the beta chain.

Symptoms of congenital hemolysis are also quite diverse, ranging from mild to severe. It depends on which gene is mutated and alpha hemoglobin or beta hemoglobin is affected.

Congenital alpha-chain hemolysis

A mutation in the alpha chain of hemoglobin causes congenital alpha chain hemolysis. Alpha chains are made up of four genes.

If a gene is mutated, there are hardly any symptoms

If the two genes are mutated, the condition can lead to mild anemia. This factor is considered to characterize hemolysis

If 3 genes were mutated, it could lead to hemoglobin H (HbH) disease.

Mutations in all four alpha genes cause the most severe form of the condition. Sadly, very few babies with this degree of congenital hemolysis survive long or after birth.

Congenital beta-chain hemolysis

A mutation in the beta hemoglobin chain causes congenital beta hemolysis. The beta chain is made up of two genes:

If a gene is mutated, it will often lead to symptoms ranging from mild to worse. It all depends on a complex interaction of the genes affected.

If both genes were mutated, it would lead to Cooley anemia.

How do I know if I have congenital hemolytic disease?

You will notice that you have one or several different types of congenital hemolysis because during this time, you have had a health-related problem. Therefore, pregnant mothers need to see doctors so that the doctor can prescribe treatment methods as well as use drugs regularly.

However, it is quite common for people with alpha hemolytic disease or beta hemolysis is that they do not know they have the condition themselves. Usually, the patient only carries the mutation gene or the carrier gene and has no symptoms. Pregnancy may be the first time you find out you have a congenital hemolytic mutation.

Your doctor will perform blood tests to find out if you are carrying the congenital hemolytic gene before 10 weeks of pregnancy .

Recognize that the fetus has congenital hemolytic disease

Congenital hemolysis is often inherited and is recessive. This means that the baby's risk of disease is quite random. If you or your husband has a hemolytic pathogen, your baby has a 50% chance of inheriting a genetic defect.

In addition, in the event that both you and your husband have congenital hemolytic pathogens, the rate will develop as follows:

25% chance that the baby will not be a carrier, nor will it be sick

There is a 50% chance that your baby will become a carrier but have no symptoms

25% have the risk of severe congenital hemolytic disease.

If you and your husband have been diagnosed with latent hemolysis, your doctor will order a diagnostic test to assess whether the fetus is inherited from the condition. Forms of laboratory examination include:

Placenta biopsy (CVS) : Take a small sample of the placenta for DNA testing between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Amniocentesis is performed after 15 weeks of pregnancy

Take fetal blood samples through umbilical cord when pregnant mother is 18 - 21 weeks pregnant.

Because the fetus is affected by severe alpha-chain anemia, there is a very low chance of survival. Therefore, some parents will often consider terminating a pregnancy. This is because babies may not be able to develop like normal babies despite many different treatments.

The effect of the mother with congenital hemolysis on the fetus

Whether you have congenital hemolytic disease or are just a carrier, your baby will be able to avoid the effects of the disease if pregnant women take 5mg of folic acid every day during pregnancy. This is because the disease can increase the risk of the fetus with a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida.

Regular intake of folic acid also helps keep the blood healthy. Congenital hemolytic disease can lead to anemia during pregnancy. If the disease is mild, the doctor will perform a few more tests to see if pregnant women should supplement iron or not.

Can congenital hemolytic disease affect the birth process?

Congenital hemolysis can affect the way the bones develop, making it difficult to give birth through the vagina. In cases where mothers have pelvic deformity, it is difficult to give birth often.

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