Thrombocytopenia in the Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Abstract

The rate of thrombocytopenia in 607 hypertensive patients was compared to a control population of 1611 nonhypertensive normal mothers. The overall risk of thrombocytopenia in the hypertensive population was 13.0%. The rate of thrombocytopenia in pregnancies at 37 weeks or greater was no greater than that of the control population. With the use of logistic regression it was determined that the risk of thrombocytopenia was significantly influenced by gestational age (preterm), and by the type of hypertension (gestational-new onset) but not by the presence of proteinuria or the patient's parity. Studies directed toward platelet's pathophysiology in the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy may be more meaningful if confined to these patient populations.