Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: current trends in diagnosis and therapy

Neonatal thrombocytopenia affects 20-40% of the infants in intensive care units. The frequency of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) is estimated at 1/1500 to 1/5000 live births. The risk of morbidity is significant with 20% neurological sequelae and the death rate is estimated at 10% of affected infants. During recent years considerable efforts have been made to prevent fetal bleeding and to avoid birth trauma, which have significantly changed the natural history of NAIT.