For women with sickle cell disease , hormonal contraception is an acceptable and reliable method of decreasing the risk of unwanted pregnancies. The use of combined oral contraceptives is considered safe in this group of patients according to the World Health Organization criteria. Medroxyprogesterone acetate is considered the safest hormonal contraceptive in sickle cell disease. Pregnancy carries increased risks of complications for woman as well as to the fetus, such as higher frequency of painful crises, spontaneous abortions, intrauterine growth retardation and higher neonatal mortality. Multidisciplinary teams are needed to manage pregnancy in sickle cell disease. The purpose of this article is to review some important aspects related to hormonal contraception and pregnancy in sickle cell disease.
Hemoglobinopathies; sickle cell anemia; hemoglobinopathy SC
