Direct demonstration of iron in a term placenta in a case of beta-thalassemia major

Successful term pregnancy in homozygous beta-thalassemia is rare. A pregnant patient with thalassemia usually is found to have chronic anemia concurrent with tissue and circulatory iron overload. We have demonstrated and localized iron deposits in a term placenta of a patient with homozygous beta-thalassemia with the use of routine histochemical staining.