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Platelet function in newborns and the women affected by pregnancy-induced hypertension
Pinnapa Terai1, Theera Tongsong1, Phudit Jatavan1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Insights
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is linked to maternal platelet dysfunction, including thrombocytopenia and increased mean platelet volume (MPV). However, these platelet issues in mothers with PIH do not appear to affect their newborns.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Hematology
Background:
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a significant obstetric complication.
- Platelet dysfunction is a known complication of PIH, but its impact on newborns is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate platelet parameters in both mothers with PIH and their newborns.
- To compare platelet function and concentration between PIH and normal pregnancies.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 106 pregnant women (55 with PIH, 51 controls).
- Maternal and neonatal blood samples were analyzed for platelet concentration, mean platelet volume (MPV), and clotting time.
Main Results:
- Women with PIH exhibited a higher incidence of thrombocytopenia and increased MPV compared to controls (p=0.028 and p=0.001, respectively).
- No significant differences in platelet count or MPV were observed between newborns of mothers with PIH and control groups (p=0.680 and p=0.265, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Maternal PIH is associated with endothelial damage and platelet aggregation, evidenced by thrombocytopenia and elevated MPV.
- Neonatal platelet counts and MPV levels remain unaffected in infants born to mothers with PIH, suggesting placental protection.
Background:
Platelet dysfunction is one of the serious and common complications associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Nevertheless, the role of platelet dysfunction in the newborns of PIH mothers is unclear. This study aimed to study platelet problems in infants and women affected by PIH.
Methods:
A prospective cohort study was conducted on singleton pregnancies who delivered at a gestation age of 32 weeks or more. The women were divided into the PIH group and the normal control group. The blood tests for maternal and neonatal platelet evaluation such as platelet concentration, mean platelet volume (MPV), and clotting time were performed for comparisons between both groups.
Results:
A total of 106 cases were recruited for the study (55 cases in the PIH group and 51 cases in the control group). Hematologic studies showed a significant increase in the incidence of thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction (increased MPV) in women affected with PIH when compared with those in the control group (p = .028 and p = .001). However, the platelet study in newborns was not significantly different between both groups (p = .680 and p = .265).
Conclusions:
This study supports the theory that endothelial cell damage and platelet aggregation as indicated by thrombocytopenia together with increased MPV levels in maternal affected with PIH. Importantly, this study provides new insight into that these problems in mothers with PIH do not occur in their neonatal vessels, as indicated by normal platelet counts and MPV levels.
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