[Perinatal thrombocytopenia of maternal origin]

Maternal causes of perinatal thrombocytopenia include neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, autoimmune disorders, intrauterine infections and hypertensive diseases. The diagnosis of these pathologies is difficult because they can occur in sick neonates, but also in healthy babies without a history suggesting illness. The treatment has to be quickly established in order to decrease eventual hemorrhagic complications. These latter can be amplified by several clinical circumstances and especially by the platelet immaturity of this time of life. The risk of recurrence for the next pregnancies has to be determined and can lead to diagnostic or therapeutic measures during the antenatal period.