Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes of Gestational Thrombocytopenia in Pregnant Women from Kirkuk City, Iraq: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Thrombocytopenia is the most common hematological disorder in pregnant women, second only to anemia. A platelet count of less than 150x109/L is regarded as low. It is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia during pregnancy when the platelet count does not fall below 70x109\L. Methods: A case-control study was carried out in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk, Iraq. Two hundred pregnant women were enrolled in the study; they were divided into 100 cases and 100 controls. All participants were in labor at the time of admission. The cases were pregnant women with gestational thrombocytopenia, while the controls were pregnant women with a normal platelet count. A platelet count was performed for all participants using the Swelab Alfa Plus system. Results: mean gestational age and platelet count were significantly lower in patients than controls, while there was no statistically significant difference in age or parity between the study groups. Preterm labor, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), and intrapartum fetal distress were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls, and the mean APGAR score at 5 minutes was significantly lower in the patients compared to the controls. Conclusions: Pregnant women with gestational thrombocytopenia may be at higher risk of preterm labor, postpartum hemorrhage, IUGR, intrapartum fetal distress and a low neonatal APGAR score.