title: Review of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.
abstract: Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), with an incidence of one in 1000 live births, is the most common cause of severe thrombocytopenia and intra-cerebral haemorrhage in term neonates. NAIT results from trans-placental passage of maternal antibodies against a paternally derived fetal platelet alloantigen. Clinical presentation varies from unexpected thrombocytopenia on a blood film in a well newborn to intracranial haemorrhage (ICH). In contrast to haemolytic disease of the newborn, NAIT can present in a first pregnancy, and subsequent pregnancies are usually more severely affected. The role of antenatal screening for maternal alloantibodies instead of fetal blood sampling to identify at-risk fetuses remains uncertain, but there is a trend towards less invasive maternally directed treatment for at-risk pregnancies. Neonatal management is aimed at preventing or limiting thrombocytopenic bleeding with transfusion of antigen-matched platelets.
authors.affiliation: Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. david_risson@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Risson
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Bronwyn A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D054098:Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology