HAEM: Obstetric haematology Flashcards
Platelet count falls
What changes in FBC occur in pregnancy?
Mild anaemia
- RBC mass rises (120 -130%)
- Plasma volume rises (150%)
- NET DILUTION
Macrocytosis
- Normal
- Folate or B12 deficiency
Neutrophilia
Thrombocytopenia
- Increased platelet size
Why are there increased iron requirements during pregnancy? By how much? What happens to iron absorption?
Iron requirement
- 300mg for fetus required in total
- 500mg for maternal increased red cell mass
Recommended daily intake - 30mg;
Increase in daily iron absorption:1-2mg to 6mg
Why do folate requirements increase in pregnancy? How much is required?
Growth and cell division
Reduces risk of neural tube defects
Approx additional 200mcg/day required - so dose is 400mcg/day
When should folic acid be taken during pregnancy?
Before conception to 12 weeks gestation
What are the complications of iron deficiency in pregnacy?
- IUGR,
- prematurity,
- PPH
Summarise the iron cycle.
RDA - recommended daily amount
How long should you continue iron supplementation post correction of Hb in pregnancy?
3 months following correction of Hb
Define anaemia in pregnancy.
Hb < 110 g/l = 1st trimester
Hb < 105 g/l = 2nd and 3rd trimester
Hb < 100 g/l = postpartum
What laboratory findings show iron deficiency anaemia?
Low Hb
Low MCV
Low MCH
What else should you check in terms of bloods if the patient has a known haemoglobinopathy?
Serum ferritin
Treat if ferritin <30mcg/L
What is the pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy?
Most plasma expansion happens in the 1st/2nd trimester so platelet count falls here due to haemodilution.
In 3rd trimester the mechanism is increased activation and destruction of platelets so you get giant platelets (on automated counters they may be counted as RBC so much check on blood film)
Apart from physiological, what are the causes of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy?
- Pre-eclampsia
- Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
- Microangiopathic syndromes
- All other causes: bone marrow failure, leukaemia, hypersplenism, DIC etc.
Which condition is most likely cause if the platelet count is:
- <150 x109/L
- <100 x 109/L
- <70x109/L
What % decrease in plt occurs in gestational thrombocytopenia? What does plt count need to be for delivery/epidural? When do platelets start to rise again?
~10% decrease
- >50x109/l sufficient for delivery
- >70x109/l for epidural
Count rises at day 2-5 post-delivery
How common is thrombocytopenia in PET? Why does it decrease?
Affect 50%
Probably due to increased activation and consumption. Associated with coagulation activation (incipient DIC – normal PT, APTT)
What are the treatments for ITP in pregnancy?
- IV immunoglobulin
- Steroids etc.
What is a danger of ITP to the baby and why? How is this risk managed?
IgG antibodies so cross the placenta and may cause thrombocytopenia in the baby. Although in most cases the baby will be unaffected, it is a possibility
Management: cord blood must be checked and manage delivery if necessary.
Give 3 examples of MAHA syndromes in pregnancy. Which MAHA syndromes are unaffected by delivery of the baby?
TTP and HUS i.e. no alteration in course
What is the pathophysiology of MAHA in pregnancy in causing thrombocytopenia?
Deposition of platelets in small blood vessels –> thrombocytopenia
Complication: fragmentation and destruction of RBC within vasculature, organ damage (kidney, CNS, placenta)
What is the most common cause of mortality during pregnancy?
VTE
What coagulation changes occur in pregnancy?
- Factor VIII and vWF ( x3 to x5)
- Fibrinogen (x2)
- Factor VII (x1.5
- (Factor X)
= HYPERCOAGULABILITY
- Protein S (x0.5)
- PAI-1 (x5)
- PAI-2 produced by placenta
=HYPOFIBRINOLYSIS