Karger Publishers, Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy, 2(45), p. 85-93, 2018
DOI: 10.1159/000487303
Full text: Unavailable
<b><i>Background:</i></b> There is no consensus regarding the optimal antenatal treatment of fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (F/NAIT). We aimed to review the fetal blood sampling (FBS)-related risk, fetal response to maternal intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and cesarean section (CS) rate in pregnancies with a history of F/NAIT. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Maternal demographics, alloantibodies, pregnancy management, fetal and neonatal outcomes, and index case characteristics were collected. Responders (R) and non-responders (NR) were defined as women treated with IVIG in whom fetal platelets (PLTs) were normal or low (< 50 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L). <b><i>Results:</i></b> An FBS-related risk occurred in 1.6% (2/119) of procedures. Maternal characteristics did not differ between responders (<i>n</i> = 21) and non-responders (<i>n</i> = 21). HPA-1a antibody was detected in all non-responders and in 72% of responders (<i>p</i> < 0.01). The index case had a significantly lower PLT count at birth in non-responders versus responders (median PLT count: R = 20 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L [IQR 8–43] vs. NR = 9 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L [IQR 4–18], <i>p</i> < 0.02). No differences were found in IVIG treatment duration or dosage. PLTs at birth were significantly lower in non-responders compared to responders. No intracranial hemorrhages occurred. CSs were performed for obstetric indications only in all but two cases. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Maternal IVIG can elicit different fetal responses. The lack of prognostic factors to predict responders or non-responders suggests that there remains a role for FBS in F/NAIT in experienced hands.