Folic acid is recommended for women with
thalassaemia before and during pregnancy,
as are calcium and vitamin D supplements,
to support maternal bone density and fetal
development (Egitto and Grogan, 2016). In the
UK, folic acid and vitamin D are recommended
for all women planning to conceive and during
pregnancy (Richardson, 2015). Vitamin C is not
recommended during pregnancy for women with
cardiac symptoms resulting from thalassaemia,
as it increases the risk of cardiomyopathies
(Elalfy et al, 2016). Prophylactic benzyl penicillin
may be recommended for women showing
signs of infection, splenomegaly and immune
insufficiencies (Smith et al, 2013).