title: Antenatal intravenous immunoglobulin in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura: case report and literature review.
abstract: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) may complicate pregnancy and, uncommonly, may cause severe neonatal thrombocytopenia. However, it is difficult to predict which neonates are at risk of severe thrombocytopenia. Direct fetal sampling is not commonly done, as it poses significant risks to the fetus. Furthermore, appropriate antenatal treatment of neonates is controversial. We describe the case of a 32-year-old woman with chronic severe ITP and a previous severely affected infant, pregnant with trichorionic triplets, who was successfully managed with the use of weekly intravenous immunoglobulin 1 g/kg without recourse to direct fetal sampling.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, University of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, WA, Australia. rebecca.howman@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Howman
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Shand
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dickinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors