title: Pregnancy in essential thrombocythaemia: experience with 40 pregnancies.
abstract: In this study, the course of 40 pregnancies in 16 women with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) was analysed retrospectively. Of the pregnancies, 45% were complicated, 55% uncomplicated, and 62% resulted in live birth. The most common complication was spontaneous abortion during the first trimester seen in 33% of all pregnancies and comprising 72% of all complications. Two intrauterine foetal deaths occurred at weeks 22 and 28. Three pregnancies were complicated by eclampsia or pre-eclampsia. Nine of 16 women with 29 pregnancies had at least one complicated pregnancy. In seven of 16 women, all 11 pregnancies were uneventful. The non-pregnancy-related symptoms of ET or the platelet count before conception or during pregnancy did not correlate with the risk of pregnancy complications. Treatment with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) alone during pregnancy or platelet-lowering drugs before or during pregnancy reduced the risk of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niittyvuopio
authors.forename: Eeva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Juvonen
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaaja
authors.forename: Kalevi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hallman
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timonen
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruutu
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001241:Aspirin