Pregnancy in Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease: The Experience of an Italian Thalassemia Center.

The life expectancy of thalassemia patients has increased significantly in recent years being the most "elderly" patients approaching or are over 50 years old. Consequently, patients' perspectives have changed, leading them to longer-term planning with a consequent increase in their reproductive potential and desire to have children. Crucial points in the management of pregnancy in thalassemia are the iron chelation therapy before and during pregnancy, the antithrombotic prophylaxis, the management of transfusion therapy according to the modified transfusion requirement, a cardiologic monitoring for hemodynamic changes that expose an increased risk of heart failure.