Perception of women suffering from sickle cell anemia regarding pregnancy: an exploratory study.

Aim: To analyze the perception of women suffering from sickle cell anemia regarding pregnancy. Method: This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, involving 25 women suffering from sickle cell anemia who lived in Bahia. Data were obtained through open interviews and analyzed by the Collective Subject Discourse. Results: Three central ideas emerged from the discourses: fear and anxiety marked the pregnancy of women suffering from sickle cell anemia; dilemmas permeated the decision to abort, and; the desire to be a mother was frustrated by miscarriage. Discussion: Due to the lack of equipment and lack of social support for exercising motherhood, women experience sadness, depression and think of interrupting the pregnancy. Conclusion: The choice to have children, although risky, should be ensured by public policy with an integral assistance to women suffering from sickle cell anemia, involving the totality of their reproductive trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]