Postnatal outcome and placental blood flow after plasmapheresis during pregnancy

Abstract

Purpose: Plasmapheresis in pregnancy adversely affects maternal hemodynamics, however there are studies suggesting it to reduce pregnancy loss in immunological diseases when medication is more harmful to the fetus. The overall optimal plasmapheresis treatment protocol remains unknown.

Materials and methods: A pregnant with neuromyelitis optica was followed up after receiving six volumes of fresh frozen plasma via plasmapheresis.

Results: The placenta compensated the hemodynamic change until the 33rd week of gestation, resulting a small for gestational age, otherwise healthy girl.

Conclusions: More research is needed on plasma exchange during pregnancy because in our observation placental circulation can adapt to the change in blood pressure.

Keywords:

• Plasmapheresis
• placental vascularization
• intrauterine growth restriction
• neuromyelitis optica

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. This research work received no funding, it was conducted within a PhD program in Reproductive Medicine (ID number: 5T472), University of Szeged.