Our objective with respect to women who had complicated pregnancies was to determine whether there is a relationship between the identified complications and platelet counts. When I was pregnant, I also did some readings on pregnancy complications. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. This results in increased blood volume and causes hemodilution. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Among the women who had uncomplicated pregnancies, the mean platelet count in the first trimester (mean gestation, 8.7 weeks) was 251,000 per cubic millimeter, which was lower than the mean platelet count in the 8885 nonpregnant women (273,000 per cubic millimeter) (P<0.001). Assuming that platelet counts measured in the women during the postpartum period were similar to their platelet counts before pregnancy, mean platelet counts decreased by an estimated 17% during pregnancy. This decreased blood flow can cause symptoms including: If you have a high platelet count and are worried about the risk of developing blood clots, talk to your healthcare provider. Having a high platelet count, or thrombocytosis, doesn't always indicate something serious is going on. Thrombocythemia and thrombocytosis. High platelet levels caused by primary thrombocytosis, also known as thrombocythemia, can be dangerous in pregnancy and can result in serious maternal and fetal complications. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies The alternative causes for the thrombocytopenia that were identified in the other 7 women were immune thrombocytopenic purpura (2 women), pseudothrombocytopenia due to in vitro platelet clumping (2 women), error in measurement of platelet count (2 women), and hereditary thrombocytopenia (1 woman). A very high platelet count can cause blood clots that can block blood flow to your baby. This is called gestational thrombocytopenia. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the To determine whether platelet counts changed significantly during gestation, whether they differed significantly among races or ethnic groups or age groups, and whether the rate of decrease during pregnancy differed significantly between women who had uncomplicated pregnancies and women who had pregnancy-related complications or preexisting disorders, we constructed linear mixed models to account for women who had repeated platelet count measurements. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, College of Public Health (J.A.R., J.D.P., D.R.T., S.K.V., J.N.G. If you have serious complications, you may have to deliver your baby early. 166: thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. If you have thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, you may need treatment for your condition during your pregnancy even if you do not have any symptoms. Platelet counts of less than 150,000 per cubic millimeter at the time of delivery were more common among women who had pregnancy-related complications than among women who had uncomplicated pregnancies (11.9% vs. 9.9%, P = 0.01). 1). 2013;19(6):124. doi:10.1097/MIB.0b013e318281f3df, Geara A, El-imad B, Baz W, Odaimi M, El-sayegh S. Pseudoleukocytosis secondary to hepatitis C-associated cryoglobulinemia: a case report. A total of 45 women (1.0%) had platelet counts below 100,000 per cubic millimeter during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, or both; 12 women had platelet counts below 80,000 per cubic millimeter during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, or both, but only 5 (0.1%) were identified by medical-record review as having no alternative cause for the thrombocytopenia. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. An additional 7 women who had platelet counts of less than 80,000 per cubic millimeter had other causes for their thrombocytopenia. Biomed Res Int. Thrombocytosis involves having an elevated level of platelets in your blood. It also covers in what circumstances having a high platelet count may or may not be something to worry about. Normal Platelet Value Range Negative Pregnancy Adult: 165 to 415X103/mm3X103/l or 165 to 415X109/L Pregnancy Trimester One: 174 to 391X103/mm3X103/l or 174 to 391X109/L Platelet activity fluctuates throughout pregnancy and is a normal feature of pregnancy owing to the effects of complex coagulation factors such as thromboxane, collagen and other complex proteins. This stratified analysis accounted for any differences in platelet counts on the basis of race or ethnic group or age between the nonpregnant women from NHANES and the pregnant women. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Research notes that: Mental stress can impact platelet count and function. Data from women who had uncomplicated twin pregnancies were analyzed separately according to the same selection criteria, except that uncomplicated delivery was defined as birth at or after 34 weeks of gestation. The mean platelet counts of the 197 women who had preexisting disorders associated with thrombocytopenia were lower than those of the women who had uncomplicated pregnancies at all trimesters and at the time of delivery (P<0.03 for all comparisons). S2B in the Supplementary Appendix), we found that platelet counts of less than 150,000 per cubic millimeter occurred in 307 women (11.9%) women at the time of delivery, a percentage that was significantly greater than that in the women who had uncomplicated pregnancies (P = 0.01) (Table 2). Among all 15,385 women who had singleton pregnancies, 9912 women had uncomplicated pregnancies. Gernsheimer T, James AH, Stasi R. How I treat thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. Examples include: Research has found that urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and gastrointenstinal infections are among the leading causes of a high platelet count. Dilution of platelets by the increased plasma volume that occurs during pregnancy16 is an apparent mechanism. 2B). There is no known way to prevent HELLP syndrome. The combined mean platelet counts from all studies supported the concept . J Clin Pathol 1975;28:812-3. A total of 67 women had uncomplicated twin pregnancies and had at least one recorded platelet count during pregnancy; these women had lower platelet counts in all three trimesters and at the time of delivery than the women who had uncomplicated singleton pregnancies, but the difference at the time of delivery was not significant (P = 0.07) (Table 1, and Fig. To determine the risk in women of having a platelet count of less than 150,000 per cubic millimeter in a subsequent pregnancy if they had had a platelet count of less than 150,000 per cubic millimeter in a previous pregnancy, we calculated a risk ratio and 95% confidence interval. In some cases this is due to a problem that existed prior to pregnancy; in others, it comes on during pregnancy. Platelets and pregnancy. The mean platelet count in the nonpregnant women was 273,000 per cubic millimeter. A high platelet count can indicate an underlying condition. 82 views, 1 likes, 2 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Scottsville Word of Life Assembly: Sunday PM 4/30/23 *We do not own. This is thought to do with the release of epinephrine, or adrenaline. If you have HELLP syndrome, you may experience pain in the upper part of your belly, blurred vision, fatigue or swelling. 1, and Table S4A in the Supplementary Appendix). A severe lack of folic acid in your blood can cause thrombocytopenia, so it is important to take your prenatal vitamins. Platelet counts can drop to as low as 6,000 per mm 3 (6 10 9 per L), but any platelet count less than 150 per mm 3 (150 10 9 per L) warrants attention. 6 In addition, thrombocytopenia in women who have preexisting disorders, such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, may become more severe during pregnancy.4,11 To understand the course of platelet counts throughout pregnancy, we evaluated platelet counts in women who delivered at the Oklahoma University Medical Center between 2011 and 2014. Jnsson V, Bock JE, Nielsen JB. A total of 59 women (2.3%) had platelet counts below 100,000 per cubic millimeter and 31 women had platelet counts below 80,000 per cubic millimeter during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, or both, which represented a higher incidence of low platelet counts than the incidence among women who had uncomplicated pregnancies (P<0.001). Your healthcare provider may recommend that you take a low dose aspirin after the first trimester if you are at high-risk for HELLP syndrome. 102: management of stillbirth. You can increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy by: Untreated HELLP syndrome can lead to serious complications, including: HELLP syndrome is rarely life-threatening. The difference in the mean platelet count between the women who had no missing platelet counts and the 4232 women who had missing platelet counts during one or more trimesters was not significant (P = 0.79). A high test result means that your platelets are larger than what's considered normal. However, in some cases, a low platelet count during pregnancy can indicate a more serious issue such as preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets). Vaccine . In particular, iron-deficiency anemia and hemolytic anemia can lead to a high platelet count. Mean platelet counts decreased during pregnancy in all the women, beginning in the first trimester. Pooling of platelets in the spleen: role in the pathogenesis of hypersplenic thrombocytopenia. Up to half of women who had HELLP syndrome can have some type of hypertensive disorder in her next pregnancy. Does flu affect platelet count. 2012 Dec;4(6):415-23. doi:10.4021/jocmr1125w, Heber S, Volf I. Regularly exercising helps maintain platelet function when at rest. Preterm delivery, or delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy, occurs in eight percent of cases of thrombocytosis in pregnancy, according to Anil. Sejeny SA, RD Eastham, SR Baker. Long-term stress is associated with a high platelet count. The mean platelet counts of the 2586 women who had pregnancy-related complications were higher than those of the 4568 women who had uncomplicated pregnancies during the first and second trimester (P<0.001) but were not significantly different during the third trimester (P = 0.38) or at the time of delivery (P = 0.09). Etiology of thrombocytosis in a general medicine population: analysis of 801 cases with emphasis on infectious causes. Less common causes include systemic lupus erythematosus . The mean platelet counts of the 336 women with uncomplicated pregnancies who had platelet counts at each trimester and at the time of delivery are also shown in Panel A. However, high platelet levels can be associated with more serious conditions, such as cancer. Essential thrombocythemia. What level is a high platelet count during pregnancy? . I bars denote 95% confidence intervals. Br J Gen Pract. However, an abnormally high number of platelets in pregnancy is far less common than low platelet levels, and the causes could range from infection, medication, disease or inflammation. Platelets may be destroyed at a higher rate in pregnancy. If still worried, I suggest you repeat the blood test for platelets again in 2 weeks. 2014;124(2):184-7. doi:10.1182/blood-2014-03-562538. Platelet counts of less than 80,000 per cubic millimeter for which an alternative cause was not identified occurred in only 5 women (0.1%), none of whom had a platelet count below 62,000 per cubic millimeter. 6 A very high platelet count can cause blood clots that can block blood flow to the embryo or fetus, while low platelet counts can cause bleeding. Burrows RF, Kelton JG. Thrombocytopenia is a relatively common occurrence in people with sepsis, occurring in around 5-20% . Managing HELLP syndrome may include taking medications to lower your blood pressure and prevent seizures. However, the occurrence and severity of thrombocytopenia throughout pregnancy are not defined. Fetal thrombocytopenia and its relation to maternal thrombocytopenia. Treatment for elevated platelet levels will vary depending on the underlying cause. Ultimately, treatment for HELLP syndrome is delivery. History of HELLP syndrome in a previous pregnancy. Preeclampsia is one high blood pressure (hypertension) disorder that can occur during pregnancy. A high platelet count, or thrombocytosis, is defined as having more than 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. It also may occur within 48 hours of delivery, although symptoms may take up to 7 days to be evident. 39 Thrombocytopenia defined as a platelet count less than 150 10 9 /L complicates approximately 8-10% of pregnancies. What causes high platelet count in pregnancy? Thrombocytopenia, defined as a platelet count 26 000 women suggest that its prevalence at the end of pregnancy is between 6.6% and 11.6%. However, this is temporary, with platelet counts tending to return to normal quickly. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: sample design, 20072010. Many times, a high platelet count doesnt cause any symptoms or mean something serious is going on. Of these women, 4568 had an uncomplicated pregnancy, 2586 had a pregnancy-related complication, and 197 had a pre-existing disorder associated with thrombocytopenia (Fig. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS When all the women with uncomplicated singleton or twin pregnancies who had a platelet count at the time of delivery (8051 women with singleton pregnancies and 93 with twin pregnancies) were evaluated, the mean platelet count in the women with twin pregnancies (197,000 per cubic millimeter; 95% confidence interval [CI], 182,000 to 212,000) was significantly lower than the count in the women with singleton pregnancies (214,000 per cubic millimeter; 95% CI, 213,000 to 215,000) (P = 0.03) at the time of delivery. 2010;27(5):413-9. doi:10.3109/08880011003739455, Oida T, Kano H, Mimatsu K, et al. Otherwise we will assume you agree to continue. Some women require a blood transfusion. The rate of decrease in platelet counts was similar in the two groups until the third trimester, when the decrease occurred at a greater rate in the women with pregnancy-related complications than in the women with uncomplicated pregnancies (Fig. Thrombocytosis, or a high platelet count, is diagnosed when platelet levels are greater than 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood.
