Outcome of pregnancy and disease course among women with aplastic anemia treated with immunosuppression.
BACKGROUND
Aplastic anemia may develop during pregnancy and sometimes improves spontaneously after delivery. The effects of pregnancy on aplastic anemia after immunosuppressive treatment and of aplastic anemia on the outcome of pregnancy have not been described.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the outcome of pregnancy and the disease course among women with aplastic anemia who received immunosuppressive therapy.


METHODS
Retrospective multicenter study.


METHODS
Twelve centers participating in the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.


METHODS
36 women who received immunosuppressive therapy to treat aplastic anemia.


METHODS
Outcomes of pregnancy and aplastic anemia and blood counts before, during, and after delivery.


RESULTS
The 36 pregnancies resulted in 34 live births (one set of twins), 2 elective abortions, and 1 spontaneous abortion. Of the 36 pregnancies, 22 were uncomplicated and 14 involved medical complications. Seven pregnancies (19%) were complicated by relapse of aplastic anemia, and 5 patients without relapse (14%) needed transfusions during delivery. After delivery, 3 of the 7 patients who had relapse recovered spontaneously and 3 recovered after retreatment. One patient who did not respond to treatment died of aplastic anemia. A woman with aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria had a fatal cerebral thrombosis after delivery. Women with uneventful pregnancies had better prepregnancy remission status (8 complete and 11 partial remissions) and a higher median platelet count (146 x 10(9) cells/L) than did women with complicated pregnancies (2 complete remissions, 8 partial remissions, and 4 cases of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria; median platelet count, 92 x 10(9) cells/L).


CONCLUSIONS
Successful pregnancy with normal outcome is possible in women with aplastic anemia previously treated with immunosuppression. Complications appear to be more likely in patients with low platelet counts and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria-associated aplastic anemia.
Tichelli
André
A
University Hospitals Basel, Hematology, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Socié
Gérard
G
Marsh
Judith
J
Barge
Renée
R
Frickhofen
Norbert
N
McCann
Shaun
S
Bacigalupo
Andrea
A
Hows
Jill
J
Marin
Pedro
P
Nachbaur
David
D
Symeonidis
Argiris
A
Passweg
Jakob
J
Schrezenmeier
Hubert
H
D000328:Adult; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006457:Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents