By Franca Ofili
The World Health Organisation, WHO, has released its first-ever global guideline on the management of Sickle Cell Disease during pregnancy.
In a statement issued on Thursday in commemoration of the 2025 World Sickle Cell Day, the WHO said that the guideline address critical and growing health challenges that could threaten both women and babies.
The theme of the 2025 WSCD, annually celebrated around the world on June 19, is “Global Action, Local Impact: Empowering Communities for Effective Self-Advocacy.”
Health risks associated with SCD can aggravate during pregnancy due to heightened demands on the body’s oxygen and nutrient supply.
The global body, therefore, stated that women with SCD faced a four-to-11-fold higher likelihood of maternal death than those without the disease. It noted that such women are likely to experience obstetric complications like pre-eclampsia, while their babies are at greater risk of stillbirth or being born early or small.
“With quality health care, women with inherited blood disorders like Sickle Cell Disease can have safe and healthy pregnancies and births. With sickle cell on the rise, more investment is urgently needed to expand access to evidence-based treatments during pregnancy, as well as diagnosis and information about this neglected disease,” Allotey stated.
According to Allotey, around 7.7 million people are living with SCD worldwide, a figure that has increased by more than 40 per cent since 2000SCD is estimated to cause more than 375,000 deaths each year.
“The disease is most prevalent in malaria-endemic regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for around eight in 10 cases, as well as parts of the Middle East, the Caribbean and South Asia,” she said.
She added that the sickle cell gene is becoming widespread globally due to population movements and improvements in life expectancy, meaning more maternity care providers need to know how to manage the disease. According to Allotey, around 7.7 million people are living with SCD worldwide, a figure that has increased by more than 40 per cent since 2000.
“SCD is estimated to cause more than 375,000 deaths each year. The disease is most prevalent in malaria-endemic regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for around eight in 10 cases, as well as parts of the Middle East, the Caribbean and South Asia,” Allotey said.
She added that the sickle cell gene is becoming widespread globally due to population movements and improvements in life expectancy, meaning more maternity care providers need to know how to manage the disease.
“WHO’s new guideline aims to provide evidence-based recommendations that are also relevant for low – and middle-income settings, where most cases and deaths from the disease occur. Accordingly, the guideline includes more than 20 recommendations spanning: folic acid and iron supplements, including adjustments for malaria-endemic areas, management of sickle cell crises and pain relief and prevention of infections and blood clots. Others are the use of prophylactic blood transfusions and additional monitoring of the woman and the baby’s health throughout pregnancy,” she said.
The Medical Officer and Lead Author of the guideline, Dr Doris Chou, said it is essential that women with sickle cell disease discuss their care options early in pregnancy with knowledgeable providers.
“This supports informed decisions about any treatment options to continue or adopt. As well as agree on ways of handling potential complications, so as to optimise outcomes for the woman, her pregnancy and her baby,” Chou said.
She explained that given the complex nature of SCD, there is a need to involve skilled and knowledgeable personnel in the care team of women living with the disorder.
This may include specialists like haematologists, midwives, paediatricians, and obstetrician-gynaecologists who provide services for reproductive and newborn health.
“SCD is a neglected health condition that remains considerably under-funded and under-researched, despite its growing prevalence worldwide. While treatment options are improving for the general population, the guideline underscores the urgent need for more research into the safety and efficacy of SCD treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women that have historically been excluded from clinical trials,” she said.
According to her, the publication is the first in a new WHO series on managing non-communicable diseases in pregnancy.
