Aplastic anaemia in pregnancy - a single centre, North American series.

Aplastic anaemia (AA) is infrequently observed in pregnancy. We describe 19 pregnancies in 9 women at a tertiary care centre over a period of 30 years. Spontaneous resolution of AA did not occur postpartum in the five pregnancies where AA was first diagnosed in pregnancy. In the remaining pregnancies, although haematological indices declined and transfusion support was needed in 35% of pregnancies, relapses were not observed. There were no deaths, but complications occurred in 79% of pregnancies. Preterm delivery and postpartum haemorrhage were observed in 21% and 26% of pregnancies, respectively.

Risks and trends of red blood cell transfusion in obstetric patients: a retrospective study of 45,213 deliveries using administrative data.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion data for obstetric patients are scarce. Identifying characteristics associated with red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) is of importance to better identify patients who would benefit from blood conservation strategies as the risk of alloimmunization from RBCT has the potential to affect the fetus and newborn. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using hospital administrative data to identify trends and risk factors of RBCT in obstetric patients. Data were analyzed according to the mode of delivery. RESULTS: A total of 45,213 deliveries were captured between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2013. A higher proportion of patients undergoing cesarean sections (C/Ss) received an RBCT (2.3%) compared to other modes of delivery (0.7% for spontaneous vaginal delivery, 1.5% for instrumental delivery; p < 0.001). In addition, the risk of RBCT increased over the 7-year period for those patients undergoing C/S (relative risk [RR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-2.15). An unavailable hemoglobin (Hb) level (RR, 12.94; 95% CI, 7.39-22.66) and Hb level of 70 to 80 g/L (RR, 7.78; 95% CI = 5.21-11.60) were strongly associated with RBCT among women undergoing C/S. Earlier gestational age at induction increased the risk of RBCT across all modes of delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The higher frequency of RBCT for unknown and low Hb supports the need for predelivery patient blood management at the time of delivery. The additional risk factors associated with RBCT identified may be used to develop risk stratification tools by mode of delivery to assist in the identification of patients at the highest risk of requiring RBCT.

Development of a core outcome set for studies on prevention and management of pregnancy-associated venous thromboembolism (COSPVenTE): a study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy and post partum are times of heightened risk for the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which in turn is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and long-term morbidity. The current research aimed at improving health guidelines for women with pregnancy-associated VTE is limited by inconsistency in outcome reporting preventing comparison across studies, and lack of input from patients with respect to outcomes they propose are most important to measure. A suggested solution is the development of a core outcome set (COS) that defines the minimum criteria for outcome reporting in clinical trials and prospective studies. COSs function to facilitate data harmonisation and increase homogeneity in outcome reporting while incorporating the voice of women in this population in the planning of research to inform their ongoing care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The development of a COS for studies on pregnancy-associated VTE will comprise five steps. First, a systematic review of the published literature will identify currently reported outcomes, their definitions and measurements if applicable. This will be followed by in-person interviews with patients, clinicians, researchers, hospital administrators and policy-makers to identify outcomes they consider important. Third, the long list of outcomes obtained from steps I and II will be condensed through online Delphi surveys involving an international group of relevant stakeholders including patients. This will be followed by a face-to-face consensus meeting with representatives of all stakeholder groups to arrive at a consensus on the final COS. Lastly, to determine how the identified core outcomes should be measured, another literature review and Delphi process will be carried out as necessary. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Mount Sinai Hospital Research Ethics Board (REB 18-0314-E). Study results will be published in open-access journals and presented at obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and haematology conferences. All progress will be documented on the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) and Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials databases. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019111479.

Thrombocytopenic syndromes in pregnancy.

The physiological changes in pregnancy result in platelet counts that are lower than in nonpregnant women. Consequently, thrombocytopenia is a common finding occurring in 7-12% of pregnant women. Gestational thrombocytopenia, the most common cause of low platelet counts, tends to be mild in most women and does not affect maternal, fetal or neonatal outcomes. Gestational thrombocytopenia needs to be distinguished from other less common causes of isolated thrombocytopenia, such as immune thrombocytopenia, which affects approximately 3% of thrombocytopenic pregnant women and can lead to neonatal thrombocytopenia. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and thrombotic microangiopathies are both associated with thrombocytopenia. They share a considerable number of similar characteristics and are associated with significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and rarely mortality. Accurate identification of the aetiology of thrombocytopenia and appropriate management are integral to optimizing the pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes of this population. Clinical cases are described to illustrate the various aetiologies of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy and their treatment.