Hemoglobin S/C disease in a pregnant woman with crisis and fat embolization syndrome

The complications of painful crisis and megaloblastic anemia are hallmarks of the pregnant patient with hemoglobin S/C disease. We describe here the clinical course in a patient with hemoglobin S/C disease in whom painful crisis and the fat embolization syndrome developed postpartum with severe neurologic abnormalities. Response to exchange blood transfusion was dramatic, and the patient recovered without neurologic impairment.