Minimizing the risk of acquisition of infections among pregnant women with sickle cell disease

Abstract: Pregnant women with sickle cell disease (SCD) have been acknowledged as a high-risk pregnancy owing to the reported high incidences of complications, including death, both among the women and the fetus. The objectives of the current article are to identify various infections to which pregnant women with SCD are prone to acquire, enlist different challenges due to which pregnant women with SCD are at high risk to acquire infections, and propose infection prevention measures at different levels to reduce the overall burden. Pregnant women with SCD are at high risk of acquiring infections from multiple microorganisms. The high rates of infections among pregnant women with SCD are predominantly because of the presence of multiple barriers and challenges. Acknowledging the fetomaternal complications among pregnant women with SCD, high risks of acquiring infection, and the presence of multiple barriers, there is an urgent need to implement measures at different levels to mitigate the impact of these barriers. To conclude, pregnant women with SCD are prone to multiple risks, including acquiring a wide range of infections. The need of the hour is to adopt a multipronged approach to minimize the risk of acquisition of infections, thereby improving fetomaternal outcomes.