Events
Case Conversation: Anemia from Beta Thalassemia Minor during Pregnancy
This is a recorded version of the journal club, Case Conversation: Anemia from Beta Thalassemia Minor during Pregnancy, that was presented live on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025. Please scroll all the way down this page to view the archived program.
Webinar Date: 6/3/2025
Estimated Time to complete: 1 hour
Format: Archived Webinar
Target Audience:
This activity is designed for healthcare professionals, including hematologists, obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, advance practice providers, and nurses specializing in the care of women/girls are the primary target audience to ensure optimal comprehensive care.
Faculty:
Arielle Langer, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Annabel Frank, MD
Assistant Professor, UCSF
Overview:
Beta thalassemia minor is routinely described as a condition with no clinical impact. However, while in many circumstances the sequelae are benign, beta thalassemia minor can cause significant anemia in pregnant women. Due to the perception that it does not have a negative clinical impact on patients, there is no established approach for managing women with beta thalassemia minor during pregnancy, nor an understanding of when another explanation should be sought. Consequently, many hematologists and obstetricians do not currently have the knowledge needed to provide optimal antepartum care.
Given the deficit of research characterizing the interplay of beta thalassemia minor and pregnancy, the primary aim of this study was to establish the usual severity of anemia, characterizing the timing of onset, and quantify the frequency of transfusion. In this Case Conversation, we will be joined by the primary investigator, Dr. Arielle Langer, who will share the study’s findings on the usual extent of anemia due to beta thalassemia minor during pregnancy.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the prevalence of poor neonatal outcomes.
2. Describe the timing of anemia from beta thalassemia minor during pregnancy, specifically the trimester of onset, and the timing of hemoglobin nadir.
3. Discuss how frequently beta thalassemia minor patients require peripartum transfusion.
