Thrombocytopenia is a common finding in normal pregnancy. The introduc
tion of routine automated complete blood counting has clearly document
ed this. In the past, these patients would go undetected and be spared
unnecessary testing, procedures, or medications. This article reviews
the common causes of thrombocytopenia and offers criteria on which th
e diagnosis of clinically significant thrombocytopenia can be made. In
addition, we will discuss therapeutic approaches to manage patients w
ith pathologic thrombocytopenia.