Ep177 – Sickle Cell Anemia and Pregnancy Loss with Regina Jackson

Have you heard of Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle cell anemia is one of a group of disorders known as sickle cell disease. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder in which there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. Normally, the flexible, round red blood cells move easily through blood vessels.

During pregnancy the disease can become more severe, and pain episodes can occur more often. A pregnant woman with SCD is at a higher risk of preterm labor, having a low birth weight baby or other complications.

Today’s guest was diagnosed with Sickle Cell when she was a child and found out she was pregnant when she was sick and thought she had pneumonia.  Regina Jackson felt tired during the Thanksgiving Holiday and had light spotting which she thought was implantation bleeding accompanied with bad cramps.  She ended up in the ER where she was continuing to hemorrhage and bleed through the Holidays.  Regina woke up on December 30 in labor and immediately went to the ER where they had her wait for almost 2 hours to be seen.  She ended up having her baby in the bathroom by herself, and then was seen by the nurses.  

In this episode Regina recounts the day she miscarried, how sickle cell anemia plays a role in pregnancy, and how she is surviving pregnancy loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have sickle cell or know anyone with the disease.  This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a pregnancy loss and had to learn to love yourself, live your purpose, and advocate for yourself.

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