Pregnancy in essential thrombocythaemia: experience with 40 pregnancies

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.