P133 | PREGNANCY AND PERINATAL OUTCOMES IN SICKLE CELL TRAIT WOMEN

Background : Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a severe genetic disorder. Individuals with one HbS allele have sickle cell trait (SCT), which is common among those of African descent, particularly from malaria-endemic regions. SCT is usually benign, but adverse events can occur under stress conditions (e.g., hypoxia, dehydration, fever). Due to increasing migration, the prevalence of SCT is rising in Western countries, including Northern Italy. Aim : To assess pregnancy-related complications in women with SCT followed at the Mother and Infant Department Unit, University Hospital of Modena. Methods : This retrospective case-control study (1:2 ratio) included 242 pregnant women/new mothers with SCT and 490 controls. Data were collected through a province-wide screening program (HPLC hemoglobin profiling). Socio-demographic, reproductive, and obstetric parameters were analyzed; logistic regression was used. Results : women with SCT were younger than controls (30.3±5.8 vs. 31.7±5.6 years; p<0.01), more often unemployed (78.1% vs. 55.3%; p<0.01), less educated (60.7% vs. 41.4%; p<0.01), non-Caucasian (83.9% vs. 46.9%; p<0.01), had higher BMI (median 26 vs. 23.7; p<0.01), and were more frequently multiparous (71.5% vs. 62.2%; p=0.02). They showed less gestational weight gain (7.7±5.2 vs. 9.7±5.1 kg; p<0.01), higher C-section rates (30.2% vs. 21.8%; p=0.04), and lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels during all trimesters (p<0.01). Newborns of mothers with SCT had higher rates of adverse outcomes. Conclusion : SCT is an independent risk factor for pregnancy complications. Pregnancies of women with SCT should be considered high-risk. A multidisciplinary team approach involving obstetrics, hematology, and perinatal care is recommended to optimize outcomes.