SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY IN A YOUNG WOMAN WITH ESSENTIAL THROMBOCYTHEMIA TREATED WITH PLATELET APHERESIS

We report a 27-year-old woman with essential thrombocythemia who had d elivered a healthy baby after Caesarian section. The patient was treat ed with two courses of platelet apheresis at the beginning of the gest ation. Subsequent to this procedure, the platelet count decreased prog ressively and remained at about 500 000/mu l of blood until delivery w ithout any further treatment. Caesarian section was performed at the 3 7th week when the placenta presented grade III lesions on ultrasound e xamination. Histology of the placenta revealed multiple infarcts. Plat elet count in the newborn was normal. We concluded that essential thro mbocythemia is not a risk factor for pregnancy, and that platelet coun t may decrease during pregnancy. In addition, an emergent reduction of platelets may easily be obtained by platelet apheresis.