Interferon alfa treatment for pregnant women affected by essential thrombocythemia: case reports and a review.
OBJECTIVE
In the past essential thrombocythemia was considered a disease of the elderly. At present, the number of young people suffering from this disease is growing, with a slightly higher frequency in females. We investigated the effects of interferon alfa therapy in these patients.


METHODS
We describe 9 pregnancies in 4 women affected by essential thrombocythemia.


RESULTS
Four pregnancies were carried out without interferon alfa therapy, and resulted in 2 intrauterine deaths, 1 spontaneous abortion, and 1 neonatal death. Interferon alfa was given during another 5 pregnancies; among them, 2 ended in preterm deliveries with normal infants, and 3 in full-term deliveries. The literature is reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our cases and published series suggest that fetal outcome is improved by therapy, and that interferon alfa may be the best therapeutic option.
Martinelli
Pasquale
P
Dept. of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Federico II, University of Naples, via Pansini 5, Naples, Italy. martinel@unina.it
Martinelli
Vincenzo
V
Agangi
Annalisa
A
Maruotti
Giuseppe Maria
GM
Paladini
Dario
D
Ciancia
Rosanna
R
Rotoli
Bruno
B
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016898:Interferon-alpha