BREAST-FEEDING IN NEONATAL ALLOIMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA

Infants with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia are at risk of sever e intracranial haemorrhage. Placental transfer of maternal immunoglobu lin G (IgG) directed against fetal platelet antigens is known to be th e underlying mechanism. Since breast milk contains IgG it is theoretic ally possible that breast feeding of these infants could cause thrombo cytopenia. The following case report shows that an infant with neonata l alloimmune thrombocytopenia may be safely breast fed, even when the breast milk contains the platelet specific antibody (HPA-1a).