A pregnant woman may face various physical and emotional challenges throughout her pregnancy. If you are pregnant and the number of platelets in your blood drops below a particular level, you might have gestational thrombocytopenia. Low platelet count during pregnancy is not uncommon, affecting around 8% of the pregnancies.
Most of the conditions are minor and cause no risks to the woman or the unborn child when it's properly diagnosed and treated. Now, how to treat the condition during pregnancy and baby birth? Read on to find out!
Decoding Thrombocytopenia
While you move forward in the pregnancy stages, the production of blood plasma will increase, thereby increasing the blood volume and resulting in hemodilution. As a result, the platelets will decrease in blood. The increased blood volume during pregnancy will cause spleen enlargement, which might destroy platelet cells faster while filtering the blood. Gestational thrombocytopenia is a milder form of the usual decrease in blood platelets during pregnancy.
Causes of Low Platelet Count During Pregnancy
When you are diagnosed with certain medical conditions during pregnancy might increase the risk of gestational thrombocytopenia. Such conditions include,
Bone marrow disorders
Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome
Congenital thrombocytopenias
Disseminated intravascular coagulation
Drug-induced thrombocytopenia
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)
Hemolytic uremic syndrome
HELLP syndrome
HIV
Hypersplenism
Liver disease
Nutritional deficiency
Preeclampsia
Pseudothrombocytopenia
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Viral infection
Read also: Natural Ways To Increase Platelet Count Of Pregnant Women
Treatment for Low Platelet Count During Pregnancy
The treatment for low platelet count during pregnancy depends on the severity of the condition. When you are diagnosed with a milder level, you usually don't require any medical intervention. However, in case of severe cases, you might require a proper treatment plan.
The treatment will also involve a personalized approach if you have associated medical conditions such as preeclampsia, HHELP, or SLE that result in a drop in platelet levels. Let us explore some common treatment approaches to treat low platelet count in pregnant women.
Supplements: most pregnant women with thrombocytopenia require only observation. Including folate and vitamin supplements will boost platelet formation.
Diet modifications: Your healthcare professional might recommend some dietary modifications to naturally increase your platelet count. Here are some healthy foods to add to your pregnancy diet.
Dark leafy greens including spinach and kale
Beans and Lentils
Eggs
Fortified dairy products
Vitamin-C-rich foods like oranges, red peppers, and broccoli.
White fatty fish like salmon
Steroid or IV Ig Supplements: If you are diagnosed with Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), you might require IV immunoglobulin (Ig-antibody) or steroid supplements. These supplements will help your immune system by protecting the healthy platelets.
Surgery: In rare cases, when the platelet count drops to a minor level, your healthcare professional might recommend splenectomy during pregnancy.
Secure your New Born’s Future with Cryoviva!
Thrombocytopenia or low platelet count during pregnancy is a natural part of most pregnancy journeys. To proactively manage the challenge, make sure to keep visiting your healthcare professional and get your platelet count monitored at regular intervals. Even after your baby's birth, ensure to check out your platelet level, to ensure your and your little one’s well-being.
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