Your healthcare during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you will be looked after by:

• an obstetrician 
• a midwife
• a haematologist with expertise in sickle cell disease (SCD)

If you have not had your regular tests in the previous year, they will be done. This includes:

• a detailed scan of your heart
• blood pressure, urine (pee) tests, and blood tests
• a special eye test (retinal screening) to detect problems at the back of the eyes

Your vaccinations for hepatitis B, flu and pneumonia should be updated if necessary. These vaccinations are safe during pregnancy.

Antenatal clinics

You should be seen at the antenatal clinic at least every 4 weeks until your 24th week, and then every 2 weeks until 32 weeks. After this you will be seen every week until you have given birth.

At each visit you will have your blood pressure checked and your pee tested.

As well as the routine scans, you should have extra scans to check your baby’s growth.

You will also be seen every 4 weeks in the joint sickle-obstetrics clinic. This is where you will see an obstetrician, a haematologist, a midwife, and a specialist sickle cell nurse.

Blood transfusions are not usually given during pregnancy, but might be needed. If so, this will be discussed with you. 

You should ask the team looking after you for contact details of who to call if you have any problems, such as a sickle cell crisis. This will usually be your maternity unit. This is so that you can be seen quickly if you have any difficulties between clinic appointments.

Your medicines

During pregnancy you should take:

• high-dose folic acid (5mg) every day throughout your pregnancy
• low-dose aspirin (150mg) every day, from early pregnancy to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia

People with SCD are at extra risk of infection, so you may be advised to take antibiotics each day as well. This is usually penicillin. It is likely that you will already be taking this. 

Blood thinning injections 

From 28 weeks, you will be advised to have blood thinning (heparin) injections. If you have any other risk factors that make you more likely to get a blood clot, for example being overweight, you might be advised to have the injections earlier. This will continue until 6 weeks after you have given birth. 

Pain medicines

You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol and codeine during pregnancy. 

You should not take anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen during pregnancy without talking to your doctor first. These medicines could cause problems for your baby. This is the case for all pregnant patients.