Association of Maternal Thrombocytopenia with Neonatal Platelet Count
Keywords:
Thrombocytopenia, gestational, HELLP syndrome, neonatal thrombocytopenia, cord blood platelets.Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of maternal thrombocytopenia with neonatal platelet count
METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was conducted among females admitted for delivery in the obstetric unit of Liaquat College of Medicine & Dentistry from May 2024 to January 2025. Seventy-six patients with low platelet counts were included using a nonprobability sampling technique; miscarriages and anomalies were excluded. Samples taken for maternal CBC, LFTs, PT, APTT, and cord blood were assessed for neonatal platelet count. The chi-square test was used to determine the association between maternal thrombocytopenia and neonatal platelet counts.
RESULTS: Mean age of participants is 27.4±4.7 years, while the mean gestational age of delivery is 37 weeks ± 1.9. Most patients are multigravida, with a mean parity of 2.4±1.5 and a mean number of live births of 1.03±1.39. EL LSCS is the most common mode of delivery (36.8%), followed by Em LSCS (31.6%). Instrumental Vaginal Delivery (IVD) is the least common (3.9%). The average platelet count at birth is 104.9 x9 µl, with a mean cord blood platelet count of 217 x9 µl. The most common cause identified was gestational thrombocytopenia (46.1%), and 78.9% had no reported complications, indicating a generally favourable clinical outcome.
CONCLUSION: Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy, largely gestational and benign, showed no significant impact on fetal outcomes, cord blood platelet count, or need for NICU. Maternal thrombocytopenia cannot be regarded as the sole considerable risk factor for neonatal thrombocytopenia in term pregnancies.
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