Patients with sickle cell trait (SCT) usually run a benign course. But they
may develop vaso-occlusive crisis, which may lead to hypoxia. During these
episodes, pregnant women with SCT may effect the developing fetus. This re
port describes an interesting finding of subtle degree of fetal hypoxia ass
ociated with maternal SCT Twenty mothers with SCT were compared with 20 con
trols for the amount of circulating nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) and ma
rker of fetal hypoxia at birth. Elevated number of circulating NRBC were no
ted in the cord blood of neonates born to mother with SCT as compared with
controls, suggesting evidence of intrauterine fetal hypoxia. A larger prosp
ective study is needed to elaborate further on this association.