ITP and Pregnancy

[FromToronto]

Hi! I've read through a number of the posts and found them very helpful.

I'm 9 weeks pregnant and just found out that my platelet count is at 50. I'm going to see a hematologist and get their expert opinion, but my doctor said she felt that the most likely diagnosis was ITP secondary to an autoimmune disease I have called Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. It's in the same family of diseases as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. My UCTD is under control on Plaquenil and I've never had a low platelet count before.

Have any of you gone through pregnancy with ITP? I know that 50 is low but not a scary level. However I've read that platelets usually go down over the course of pregnancy and that they should be above 50 for the birth and must be 70+ for a c-section and 75-100+ to be able to get epidural anesthesia. I've also read that it's possible for babies born to mothers with ITP to have thrombocytopenia when they are born or in the first couple weeks of life and need treatment with IVIG.

Thanks for any additional info or personal stories!

[scaryteacher]

I was diagnosed with ITP in my last trimester in 1995. I was threatened with a c -section and an epidural by a junior doctor to the consultant obstetrician. I saw a lovely haematologist consultant who rang the obstetrician and told him to get his staff in order. I had a normal delivery with gas and air. No one was sticking needles in my back.

My ITP did not go away after I had my son, and over the ensuing 24 years my count has dropped from between 80-100 to 19-32. I don't have meds.

My son had ITP when he was born (among other issues as he was prem, due to placental deficiency), and had IVIG infusions. As he is now a strapping 24 year old, it doesn't seem to have hurt him too much!

Good luck with pregnancy, and enjoy your baby. I can't believe mine is 24 now.

[FromToronto in reply to scaryteacher]

Thanks for your reply! I'm glad you had a positive outcome and I hope I do too!

[scaryteacher in reply to FromToronto]

The outcome was good for my son, but I've not enjoyed having ITP, as I get tired, and seemed to catch every bug going when I was teaching. You have to watch alcohol intake, avoid certain foods, and get used to reading the warnings on medications, as GPs will prescribe things even though you tell them you have ITP, that are contra indicated. No aspirin or ibuprofen, only paracetamol etc.

With the meds, I thought the side effects of steroids would be worse than just living with ITP, and as I was abroad for several years, none were on offer. In Belgium, unless your count was <10, you were bruised all over, and bleeding all over the floor, there was no treatment on offer, except a blood count every 6 months.

At least being back in UK now, I can have a sensible conversation with the medics when needed.

[Anthonyh7]

Hello FromToronto - the following link to the Platelet Disorder Support Association article will probably be helpful for you if you haven't already seen it....

pdsa.org/pregnancy.html

The PDSA also have coverage in Canada .....

pdsa.org/support-groups/ite...

Further general and reliable ITP information is also available from the ITP Support Association here in the UK at ...

itpsupport.org.uk

Hope all this helps.

Best wishes

Anthony