A Case of Essential Thrombocythemia Diagnosed During Pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회지

ABSTRACT

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a chronic myeloproliferative disease characterized by a markedly elevated platelet count in the peripheral blood due to excessive proliferation of bone marrow megakaryocytes. When the disease affects women during pregnancy, an adverse obstetric outcome is possible: miscarriages, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery, intrauterine fetal death, preeclampsia. Maternal complications, both thrombotic and hemorrhagic, were reported relatively infrequently. Various treatments as acetylsalicylic acid, hydroxyurea, anagrelide, heparin, interferon-alpha and plateletpheresis have been proposed to improve the pregnancy. Our case was a 38 years old multiparous women at 37 weeks of gestation with preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction. Under the impression of oligohydramnios and fetal distress, an emergency cesarean section was performed under epidural anesthesia. During cesarean section, sudden cardiac arrest with unknown cause was developed, and successful resuscitation was done. After cesarean section, patient continued to elevate platelet count. So bone marrow aspiration and biopsy were performed and showed essential thrombocythemia. We report a case of essential thrombocythemia diagnosed during pregnancy with brief review of the literature.