THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN NEONATES BORN TO WOMEN WITH AUTOIMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

We conducted a survey by questionnaire to clarify the actual condition s of neonates born to mothers with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ATP) in Japan. We investigated 93 pregnancies (1 resulting in twins) in 31 hospitals between 1985 and 1994. Forty-nine of the neonates (52 %) had thrombocytopenia (below 150 x 10(9)/L). Nineteen neonates (20%) showed a bleeding tendency, but this was generally mild. In only one neonate (1%) (a case of asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, ICH), de ep bleeding occurred due to thrombocytopenia. The lowest platelet coun t of neonates after birth occurred on day 4, not on day 0. There was n o correlation between maternal and neonatal platelet counts. However, there was an apparent correlation between rite neonatal platelet count on day 0 and the lowest platelet count after birth. Treatment of the mothers with intravenous high-dose gamma-globulin and prednisolone did not prevent risk of neonatal thrombocytopenia significantly.