The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its first-ever global guideline on managing Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) during pregnancy.
In a statement released Thursday to mark the 2025 World Sickle Cell Day, WHO emphasized that the guideline aims to tackle critical and increasing health challenges that threaten the wellbeing of both mothers and their babies.
The 2025 World Sickle Cell Day, observed annually on June 19, carries the theme: “Global Action, Local Impact: Empowering Communities for Effective Self-Advocacy.”
Sickle Cell Disease is a group of inherited blood disorders characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells resembling crescents or sickles. These misshapen cells can obstruct blood flow, leading to severe anemia, intense pain episodes, recurring infections, and serious medical emergencies such as strokes, sepsis, or organ failure.
Pregnancy can worsen the health risks linked to SCD because of the increased demand for oxygen and nutrients in the mother’s body.
WHO highlighted that pregnant women with SCD are four to eleven times more likely to die from maternal causes compared to women without the disease. They also face higher chances of obstetric complications like pre-eclampsia, while their babies are more prone to stillbirth, premature birth, or low birth weight.
Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research and head of the United Nations Special Programme for Human Reproduction (HRP), stated that the new guideline is designed to improve pregnancy outcomes for women living with SCD.
