Nine pregnant women with homozygous beta-thalassaemia major followed a
strict transfusion regimen to maintain their haemoglobin level >10g/d
l. One pregnancy was terminated because of concern about desferrioxami
ne teratogenicity and another ended in miscarriage at II weeks. All ot
her women were delivered by elective caesarean section between 37 and
38 weeks. There were no obstetric complications or perinatal deaths.