title: Treatment of essential thrombocythemia during pregnancy with interferon-alpha.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only a few cases of essential thrombocythemia in pregnant women have been reported, and the management of this myeloproliferative disorder during pregnancy remains uncertain. We report a successful pregnancy in a patient who had essential thrombocythemia and who was treated with interferon-alpha, and we review the literature for the outcome of similar patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 32-year-old woman, gravida 4, para 3, aborta 0, presented at 18 weeks' gestation with two episodes of amaurosis fugax and an elevated platelet count of 2300 x 10(9)/L. The initiation of interferon-alpha led to a progressive fall of the platelet level, with no occurrence of thrombotic or hemorrhagic manifestations. Serial ultrasound examinations revealed normal fetal and placental development. The patient was delivered of a male infant at 37 weeks. Both child and placenta were normal on examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our case and the current available data suggest that interferon-alpha may be the best therapeutic option for pregnant patients with essential thrombocythemia in whom myelosuppression is required.
authors.affiliation: Saint-Sacrement Hospital, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delage
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin