ACCIDENTAL DESFEROXAMINE MEDICATION IN TH E EARLY-PREGNANCY PERIOD WITH HOMOZYGOTIC BETA-THALASSEMIA - REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A 25-years-old Creek primigravida had been on transfusion therapy sinc e her first year of age because of homozygous beta-thalassaemia. At th e age of 5, splenectomy had to be performed because of hypersplenism. Shortly thereafter she was started on chelation therapy by means of de sferoxamine; maintenance of therapy was irregular due to lack of compl iance. Menarche occurred at 17, followed by irregular menstrual cycles . At the age of 24 anovulatory infertility was diagnosed and treated w ith clomiphene citrate; 6 months later she conceived while she was on chelation therapy Pregnancy was diagnosed at the 8(th) week. Chelation was then discontinued, only transfusion therapy was performed through out pregnancy contributing to maintenance of constant Hb and Ferritin serum levels. Except for an intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) of the fetus, the course of the pregnancy was unremarkable. The patient p resented with premature rupture of membranes at 39 weeks and Caesarean section was performed due to failure to progress. A healthy male infa nt was delivered weighing 2250 g; Apgar score was 8/10/10. With the ex ception of beta-thalassaemia minor no further disorders were diagnosed in the newborn. The two years' follow-up was unremarkable.