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Conference moira::parenting

Title:Parenting
Notice:Previous PARENTING version at MOIRA::PARENTING_V3
Moderator:GEMEVN::FAIMANY
Created:Thu Apr 09 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1292
Total number of notes:34837

1253.0. "low platelet count" by MROA::MACKEY () Fri Feb 14 1997 13:32

    My wife is apx 12 weeks pregnant and they have found that she has a low
    platelet count.   She will be seeing her primary care doctor sometime
    next week.  Until so I was wondering what can cause the low count and
    what can be done to raise it?
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1253.1SUBSYS::ARMSTRONGsort of cast in concreteMon Feb 17 1997 09:4018
    I'm not a doctor, but my bro-in-law's wife had this problem through
    both her pregnancies.  Apparently, platelets are suppose to be between
    150,000 - 300,000 and Bonnie's dropped to 99,000 by the birth of her
    first, and down to 1,000 (very dangerous) during her 2nd pregnancy. 
    I believe the danger is that the platelets cause the clotting - if
    they're too low, bleeding could be a problem.  Bonnie went through some
    pretty serious months (this started by her 3rd month) before her 2nd
    (and LAST!) was born.  2 months after the birth she was still only up
    to 44,000.  They took her spleen out 2 weeks ago and within 2 hours of
    the operation - she was up to ~90,000!  She spent just about every
    other week in the hospital from her 4th-9th month.
    
    Like I said, I'm no doctor, but please pay close attention to this and
    make sure he doctor continues to monitor her situation.  I heard from
    another nurse that Vit. K could help, but check that out first.
    
    Good luck!
    ~beth
1253.2why?NAC::WALTERMon Feb 17 1997 09:509
    Beth,
    
    Just out of curiousity, why was your bil's wife in the hospital every
    other weekend because of this while she was pregnant with the second
    child? 
    
    Thanks..
    
    cj
1253.3yesSUBSYS::ARMSTRONGsort of cast in concreteMon Feb 17 1997 12:5410
    Yes, she'd have her blood checked every other day, and then would wind
    up in the hospital for 5-7 days every other week.  She was in the
    hospital almost the entire month of November and delivered the day
    before Thanksgiving.  They were hoping to take the baby earlier, but
    her platelets were *so* low, they were afraid of serious complications.
    
    The baby was born low, but he's fine now.  It was pretty scary for a
    while - she was in bad shape until she had her spleen out.  
    
    ~Beth