In this episode of 7-2-1: All You Need to Know About Periods, Dr. Bethany Samuelson Bannow leads an insightful discussion with experts, Dr. Hanny Al-Samkari and Dr. Layla Van Doren, on Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) and its complex relationship with thrombosis. Although HHT is widely recognized as a bleeding disorder, emerging evidence highlights an important and often underappreciated risk of clotting.

This episode brings a focused lens to how HHT impacts menstruation and gynecologic health, particularly for women and girls across the lifespan. Heavy menstrual bleeding, iron deficiency, and challenges with hormonal management are explored alongside the competing risks of thrombosis. Together, faculty discuss how to approach menstrual management in HHT patients, including considerations when using estrogen-containing therapies, antifibrinolytics, and other treatment strategies.

In this episode of The 7-2-1, Dr. Kemi Olaiya and Dr. Cheryl Mensah continue the conversation on fertility preservation in sickle cell disease with Dr. Leslie Appiah, a leading expert in fertility preservation. Together, they break down what patients, families, and providers need to know, from insurance coverage and the hematologist’s role, to special considerations like hydration, anesthesia risks, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. The discussion also explores how common sickle cell treatments such as hydroxyurea and iron chelation impact fertility preservation decisions. This episode offers practical insights for clinicians and families navigating complex choices around preserving fertility in the context of curative therapies.

In this episode of The 7-2-1, Dr. Kemi Olaiya and Dr. Cheryl Mensah are joined by Dr. Leslie Appiah, a leading expert in fertility preservation, to discuss why fertility preservation matters for people with sickle cell disease. While offering curative potential, they explore how stem cell transplantation and gene therapy can also pose serious risks to reproductive health. The conversation covers options available to both prepubertal and post-pubertal girls, the differences in fertility risks between transplant and gene therapy, and why referrals don’t always happen as often as they should. This episode provides essential guidance for clinicians, patients, and families navigating the intersection of sickle cell care, future family planning, and quality of life.