PLATELET - BABYCENTRE INFO..

Platelets are cells in your blood. They help your blood to clot when it needs to. The normal number of platelets is between 150 and 400 million per millilitre of blood. Most pregnant women have normal numbers of platelets but about eight per cent have a slight drop in their platelet count.

If your platelet count drops below normal while you're pregnant doctors will say you have gestational thrombocytopenia. Your count is below normal if you have between 100 and 150 million platelets per millilitre of blood. Gestational thrombocytopenia usually happens in the third trimester. It won't cause you or your baby any problems. Your platelet levels will return to normal when your baby is born.

The reduced platelet count is related to the fact that you're pregnant. Experts are unsure exactly why it happens but two factors may play a part:

1) Your body naturally destroys platelets if they are not used and replaces them with new ones. In pregnancy, this process is speeded up. The result is that you have fewer, but younger and larger platelets in your blood.
2) Your body produces more of the liquid part of blood (plasma) while you're pregnant. This means there are fewer platelets per millilitre of blood. This doesn't affect the platelets' performance, though. They can still do their job.

Your blood test results should be written in your maternity notes. Your platelet count will look something like this: Plat. 160x10.9/L. This would mean you have a platelet count of 160, which is in the normal range. If your platelet count is low, the blood test should be done again. This will keep track of whether your count is dropping. If your platelet count is very low, it may mean you're more likely to bleed either during or after birth or during a caesarean section. Doctors may also be extra cautious about giving you an epidural. The epidural needle would have to be placed very carefully to avoid any accidental puncture.

It's hard to say how low your platelet has to go before it becomes too low. This makes it difficult to tell at what point your risk of abnormal bleeding goes up. Some experts say all mums-to-be who have a platelet count of below 100 million per millilitre of blood should have extra tests. If you have an abnormally low platelet count it is likely to have been caused by a condition you already have, such as lupus.

Lupus happens when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. Some medicines, such as the blood-thinning drug heparin, can also affect your platelet count. If either of these cases applies to you, you and your doctor will already know your platelet count could be low. Your doctor will plan your antenatal care with this in mind.

Occasionally, a very low platelet count could be a sign of a problem with your pregnancy. This could be a rare complication of pre-eclampsia, called HELLP syndrome. If you had this syndrome, your other symptoms would be:
1) pre-eclampsia symptoms, such as high blood pressure and protein in your urine;
2) pain above your belly;
3) headaches;
4) nausea