Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) occurs in approximately 1 to 3 in 10,000 pregnancies. The increased frequency of ITP diagnosed during pregnancy may reflect more frequent CBC testing during pregnancy and the increased incidence of autoimmune disorders in young women, and possibly unmasking of mild ITP due to the increased platelet turnover in pregnancy. ITP may occur during any trimester. The severity of thrombocytopenia is variable and may change during the pregnancy, although for many patients the platelet count remains stable.
For individuals with a prior history of ITP, the platelet count may decline further during pregnancy and improve after delivery. As in non-pregnant individuals, the risk of bleeding is greater with platelet counts <20,000 to 30,000/microL, although there is no absolute platelet count threshold above which bleeding does not occur. ITP is an autoimmune condition in…
