Can sickle cell patients take folic acid?
Can sickle cell patients take folic acid?
People with sickle cell disease (SCD) often take folic acid supplements to treat anemia. In the body, folic acid gets converted to folate, which the body uses to make new red blood cells. Since people with SCD have increased red blood cell production to make up for anemia, they may need more folate.
Why is folic acid high in sickle cell anemia?
Background. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder which causes dysfunctional red blood cells (RBC) and is thought to increase requirements for folate, an essential B vitamin, due to increased RBC production and turnover in the disease.
Can a woman with sickle cell anemia get pregnant?
Can Women With Sickle Cell Disease Have A Healthy Pregnancy? Yes, with early prenatal care and careful monitoring throughout the pregnancy, a woman with SCD can have a healthy pregnancy. However, women with SCD are more likely to have problems during pregnancy that can affect their health and that of their unborn baby.
How can sickle cell be prevented during pregnancy?
Couples with the sickle cell trait can minimize the risk before pregnancy by pursuing in vitro fertilization, or IVF, with preimplantation genetic testing. IVF involves a woman taking medications to stimulate her eggs.
What vitamins are good for sickle cell?
Supplementing with vitamin C may help correct a deficiency. Antioxidant nutrients protect the body’s cells from oxygen-related damage. Many studies show that sickle cell anemia patients tend to have low blood levels of antioxidants, including carotenoids, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C, despite adequate intake.
What should sickle cell patients avoid?
avoid very strenuous exercise – people with sickle cell disease should be active, but intense activities that cause you to become seriously out of breath are best avoided. avoid alcohol and smoking – alcohol can cause you to become dehydrated and smoking can trigger a serious lung condition called acute chest syndrome.
How long do sickle cell patients live?
Results: Among children and adults with sickle cell anemia (homozygous for sickle hemoglobin), the median age at death was 42 years for males and 48 years for females. Among those with sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease, the median age at death was 60 years for males and 68 years for females.
Can you tell if a fetus has sickle cell?
Yes. If you or your partner has SCD or sickle cell trait, you can have a prenatal test to find out if your baby has SCD or sickle cell trait. You can have either of these tests: Chorionic villus sampling (also called CVS).
How does pregnancy affect sickle cell disease?
During pregnancy, SCD may increase your risk of: Miscarriage, when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Premature birth, when birth happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Having a baby with low birthweight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces)
What happens when you take too much folic acid?
Excess folic acid is excreted in urine. A high folate intake can mask vitamin B-12 deficiency until its neurological effects become irreversible. This can typically be remedied by taking a supplement containing 100 percent of the daily value of both folic acid and vitamin B-12.