Blood Battles – Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (wAIHA)

When Maria started feeling sick at work, she feared that her colon cancer had come back. But she soon learned that it was actually a different condition that came with its own life-threatening risks.

Maria had warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or wAIHA, an autoimmune disorder that targets healthy red blood cells, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. One of its symptoms is potential organ failure.

Maria relied on her husband, Gerson, to help her get through the treatment. But they both faced another complication when shortly after her ordeal with wAIHA, Maria learned that she was pregnant.

This episode also features in-depth commentary from renowned expert Irina Murakhovskaya, MD, Associate Professor, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.