Hydroxyurea use during pregnancy: A case report in sickle cell disease andreview of the literature

A patient being treated for sickle cell disease with hydroxyurea (1 g/d) co nceived, and drug treatment was discontinued at nine weeks gestational age. The pregnancy and delivery were complicated by vaso-oclusive crises. A hea lthy male infant was born at 39 weeks with no evidence of congenital malfor mations. A literature review, including this case, suggests that the risk o f hydroxyurea exposure during in pregnancy may have been overestimated. Fur ther studies are required to determine its safety in pregnancy. (C) 1999 Wi ley-Liss, Inc.