Hemolytic anemias during pregnancy and the reproductive years.

Anemia is a common phenomenon in women during the reproductive years. In pregnancy, it is associated with an increased incidence of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. The approach to the investigation of anemic women suspected of having hemolytic anemia of either congenital or acquired etiology is the subject of this article. Various conditions in the pregnant women can have hematologic consequences for the newborn infant; these conditions include sensitization to fetal blood cells, infections, drug ingestion and the possession of genes for hereditary hemolytic disorders, which may be transmitted to the fetus. Because several forms of hemolytic anemias are hereditary or are caused by an altered gene, genetic consultation is important.