Pregnancy in essential thrombocythaemia: experience with 40 pregnancies

Eur J Haematol. 2004 Dec;73(6):431-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0609.2004.00324.x.

Abstract

In this study, the course of 40 pregnancies in 16 women with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) was analysed retrospectively. Of the pregnancies, 45% were complicated, 55% uncomplicated, and 62% resulted in live birth. The most common complication was spontaneous abortion during the first trimester seen in 33% of all pregnancies and comprising 72% of all complications. Two intrauterine foetal deaths occurred at weeks 22 and 28. Three pregnancies were complicated by eclampsia or pre-eclampsia. Nine of 16 women with 29 pregnancies had at least one complicated pregnancy. In seven of 16 women, all 11 pregnancies were uneventful. The non-pregnancy-related symptoms of ET or the platelet count before conception or during pregnancy did not correlate with the risk of pregnancy complications. Treatment with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) alone during pregnancy or platelet-lowering drugs before or during pregnancy reduced the risk of complications.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / epidemiology
  • Anticoagulants / administration & dosage
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Aspirin / administration & dosage
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use
  • Eclampsia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Fetal Death / epidemiology
  • Finland / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Platelet Count
  • Pre-Eclampsia / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / drug therapy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Trimester, First
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / drug therapy
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / epidemiology*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Aspirin