Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is a rare disease causing serious thrombocytopenia during neotatal period. Antibodies developed against fetal thrombocytes due to fetal-maternal platelet antigen incompatibility cause thrombocytopenia both in intrauterine period and afterwards. The clinical symptoms vary from mild to severe. Half of the cases occurs during first pregnancy. The recurrence risk increases in the subsequent pregnancies. The event is limited when the antibodies are cleared away. However, a careful close follow-up is needed both for the mothers and fetus/babies and the treatment should be immediately started when it is indicated. Early diagnosis, treatment and giving information to the parents about the risks of the subsuquent pregnancies are important issues due to increased morbidity and mortality of the disease. (Journal of Current Pediatrics 2011; 9: 93-6)