Thrombocytopenia means a decrease in platelets and this problem can also occur in pregnancy. Platelets are also called thrombocytes and for this reason this condition is called thrombocytopenia. A healthy person has a normal blood platelet count of 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of blood. When it falls below 150,000 per microliter, thrombocytopenia occurs.
Thrombocytopenia is a common blood disorder in pregnancy. A slight drop in platelets is not a cause for concern, but a very high fall in platelet count can cause serious problems in pregnancy. In this article, we are telling you about the causes, symptoms, complications, treatment etc. of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
Symptoms of Thrombocytopenia
Most women with thrombocytopenia may not have any symptoms. Some women may see the following signs of thrombocytopenia:
- non-stop bleeding or nose bleeds
- small red spots due to bleeding under the skin
- blood in urine or stool
- frequent bruising or red or brown tinge
- Tiredness
What causes thrombocytopenia
If the platelet count drops suddenly during pregnancy and remains low until delivery, it can lead to the following complications:
- Epidural hematoma and inability to receive epidural anesthesia before delivery.
- internal bleeding at the time of delivery
- Recurrent thrombocytopenia in pregnancy after first thrombocytopenia
- fetal or infant thrombocytopenia
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Why are there low platelets
About 70 to 80 percent of thrombocytopenia cases occur during pregnancy. The reason for the low platelet count is not known but this problem occurs only in the third trimester of pregnancy and in most cases there are no symptoms.
Thrombocytopenia related to hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia, may result from eclampsia. It is the second leading cause of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disorder caused by a burst of platelets in the spleen.
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other reasons
acute fatty liver of pregnancy A rare but serious condition in which the platelet count per microliter of blood drops below 20,000. Apart from this, nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, certain medications, viral infections and bone marrow diseases can also cause thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
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Thrombocytopenia treatment
In pregnancy, unless thrombocytopenia becomes severe, treatment is not needed. First of all, medicine is given in its treatment. Whereas if in emergency cesarean If the platelet count falls below 50,000 per microliter, then platelet transfusion is required.
photo credit: TOI