Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Register      Login

VOLUME 16 , ISSUE S2 ( August, 2024 ) > List of Articles

CASE SERIES

Thrombocytopenia and the Impending Doom: A Case Series on Platelets Causing Obstetric Quandaries

Aditya Rajiv Nimbkar, Jyotsna Dwivedi, Kimaya Mali, Geetika Gaekwad

Keywords : Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, Acute myeloid leukemia, Dengue fever, Disseminated intravascular coagulation, Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction, HELLP syndrome, Immune thrombocytopenic purpura, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Thrombocytopenia, Wilson's disease

Citation Information :

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-2488

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 02-09-2024

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aim and background: Thrombocytopenia is defined as a decrease in the number of platelets. It is one of the, if not the most, common coagulation disorders that can complicate obstetrics. A normal count is arbitrarily set as 1,50,000–4,50,000 platelets per microliter. Case description: Thrombocytopenia unique to pregnancy can be gestational thrombocytopenia, preeclampsia-induced thrombocytopenia, HELLP syndrome, and acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP). While the remaining causes that coincide with pregnancy include disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), hematological malignancies, pseudothrombocytopenia, Wilson's disease, and autoimmune disorders. The former necessitate urgent delivery to optimize maternal and fetal outcome, following which there is spontaneous resolution of thrombocytopenia. While in the latter, pregnancy doesn't compound the issue and is a mere coincidence and hence the inciting factor needs to be eradicated to resolve the thrombocytopenia and often even requires use of blood products. Conclusion: We attempt to discuss few cases of thrombocytopenia, seen at a tertiary care center and its multidisciplinary approach toward management. Clinical significance: The unique problem with thrombocytopenia in obstetrics is the diagnostic hurdle it can pose to determine whether the pregnancy is a latter event to pre-existing thrombocytopenia, or if pregnancy is the causative factor for the same. This, in turn, can significantly alter the mode and time of termination and hence the neonatal outcome.


PDF Share
  1. Mangla A, Hamad H. Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. [Updated 2022 Nov 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547705/.
  2. Sithara D, Rajeswari KS, Sivasundari M. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in pregnancy. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2015;7(2):9596. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-1334.
  3. Vakiti A, Mewawalla P. Acute myeloid leukemia. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507875/.
  4. Nimbkar AR, Panchbudhe SA, Pathade SS, et al. A tale of ‘AR’: A rare all-round review of obstetric autosomal recessive disorders. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2023;15(2):177–181. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10006-2211.
  5. Tien Dat T, Kotani T, Yamamoto E, et al. Dengue fever during pregnancy. Nagoya J Med Sci 2018;80(2):241–247. DOI: 10.18999/nagjms.80.2.241.
  6. Tan J, Hou F, Xiong H, et al. Swansea criteria score in acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Chin Med J 2022;135(7):860–862. DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001821.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.