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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Do pregnancies reduce iron overload in HFE hemochromatosis women? results from an observational prospective study

Authors: Virginie Scotet, Philippe Saliou, Marianne Uguen, Carine L’Hostis, Marie-Christine Merour, Céline Triponey, Brigitte Chanu, Jean-Baptiste Nousbaum, Gerald Le Gac, Claude Ferec

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

HFE hemochromatosis is an inborn error of iron metabolism linked to a defect in the regulation of hepcidin synthesis. This autosomal recessive disease typically manifests later in women than men. Although it is commonly stated that pregnancy is, with menses, one of the factors that offsets iron accumulation in women, no epidemiological study has yet supported this hypothesis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on expression of the predominant HFE p.[Cys282Tyr];[Cys282Tyr] genotype.

Methods

One hundred and forty p.Cys282Tyr homozygous women enrolled in a phlebotomy program between 2004 and 2011 at a blood centre in western Brittany (France) were included in the study. After checking whether the disease expression was delayed in women than in men in our study, the association between pregnancy and iron overload was assessed using multivariable regression analysis.

Results

Our study confirms that women with HFE hemochromatosis were diagnosed later than men cared for during the same period (52.6 vs. 47.4 y., P < 0.001). Compared to no pregnancy, having at least one pregnancy was not associated with lower iron markers. In contrast, the amount of iron removed by phlebotomies appeared significantly higher in women who had at least one pregnancy (eβ = 1.50, P = 0.047). This relationship disappeared after adjustment for confounding factors (eβ = 1.35, P = 0.088).

Conclusions

Our study shows that pregnancy status has no impact on iron markers level, and is not in favour of pregnancy being a protective factor in progressive iron accumulation. Our results are consistent with recent experimental data suggesting that the difference in disease expression observed between men and women may be explained by other factors such as hormones.
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Metadata
Title
Do pregnancies reduce iron overload in HFE hemochromatosis women? results from an observational prospective study
Authors
Virginie Scotet
Philippe Saliou
Marianne Uguen
Carine L’Hostis
Marie-Christine Merour
Céline Triponey
Brigitte Chanu
Jean-Baptiste Nousbaum
Gerald Le Gac
Claude Ferec
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1684-6

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