Induced and spontaneous abortion outcomes among individuals with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVE

Describe induced and spontaneous abortion outcomes among individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD).

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective review of outcomes and complications within 30 days of patients with SCD at an academic tertiary care center undergoing procedural or medication management for induced or spontaneous abortions up to 23w6d.

RESULTS

Among 71 unique pregnancies (59 induced, 12 spontaneous abortions), 67 (94%) had procedural management, with rare hemorrhagic (2, 3%), infectious (1, 1%), and thromboembolic (0, 0%) complications. The most common complication was presentation to the emergency room within 30 days for vaso-occlusive pain (17, 25%), which was associated with number of SCD-related emergency room visits within the prior year.

CONCLUSION

The results reported in this study support the safety of uterine evacuation procedures for induced and spontaneous abortion in patients with SCD.

IMPLICATIONS: While outcomes of childbirth among individuals with SCD are well described, little is known about pregnancies that end in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy in this population. We describe outcomes after induced and spontaneous abortion among patients with SCD and show that procedural complications were uncommon.