ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Platelet-related problems are more frequently discovered in women during pregnancy because screening is carried out as part of the initial clinic examination using automated blood counts. This study was done to find out the frequency and outcomes of pregnant females presenting with thrombocytopenia at a tertiary care hospital. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from April 2023 to September 2023. This study involved 280 pregnant women presenting in the third trimester. Blood examination was acquired, and a platelet count less than 150x109/L was labeled as thrombocytopenia. Outcome variables were frequency of thrombocytopenia, while post-delivery, frequency of placental abruption, preterm delivery, stillbirth, need for blood transfusion, and poor Apgar score were noted and compared among women with and without thrombocytopenia. RESULTS: In a total of 280 pregnant females, the mean age and gestational age at the time of presentation were 29.34±4.38 years and 31.30±2.87 weeks, respectively. The mean BMI of the females was 27.97±4.72 kg/m2. Thrombocytopenia was noted in 34 females (12.1%). Placental abruption, preterm delivery, need for blood transfusion, stillbirth, and poor Apgar score were observed in 1.4%, 4.3%, 8.2%, 1.1%, and 2.1% cases, respectively. Placental abruption (11.8% vs. 0.0%; p<0.001), preterm delivery (29.4% vs. 0.8%; p<0.001), need of blood transfusion (35.3% vs. 4.5%; p<0.001), stillbirth (8.8% vs. 0.0%; p<0.001), and poor Apgar score (17.6% vs. 0.0%; p<0.001) were all significantly higher among pregnant women with thrombocytopenia as compared to those with a normal platelet count. CONCLUSION: The frequency of thrombocytopenia was 12.1% among pregnant females. The frequency of placental abruption, preterm delivery, need for blood transfusion, stillbirth, and poor Apgar score were all significantly higher among pregnant women with thrombocytopenia as compared to those with a normal platelet count, irrespective of the patient's age, parity, and BMI.
