A retrospective analysis of obstetric patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: a single center study

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) commonly affects women of childbearing age. We studied the clinical characteristics of pregnant women with ITP to estimate their risks of bleeding. A retrospective chart review was performed for all obstetric patients with ITP who had delivery at our hospital, from 1 March 2000 to 31 March 2008. Twenty women with ITP delivered 24 children in 23 pregnancies. In all, eight women were treated with corticosteroid during their pregnancy period, and there was only one non-responder. There was no correlation between the maternal platelet count and the amount of blood loss at delivery. Two infants were revealed to have had platelet counts lower than 30 × 10⁹/L, and were treated with high-dose IV IgG. One of them also received corticosteroid therapy. There was no relationship between maternal platelet count at delivery and infant platelet count at birth. Overall, no serious bleeding event was seen in either of the mothers or infants. For most women with ITP, pregnancy is uncomplicated, and even those with severe thrombocytopenia during pregnancy have good outcomes when under the strict care of a hematologist and gynecologist.