Platelet count under 50

[Strawberryfair]

My daughter is 36 weeks pregnant and has been told that her platelet count is now under 50. She has had a low platelet count throughout pregnancy but the level is now reducing regularly. Is this something to worry about? At various times during pregnancy, my daughter has had problems with protein in her urine, raised blood pressure, small baby and Braxton Hicks pains. She was admitted to hospital for 2 days, a couple of weeks ago, when an induction was considered. She is now being monitored every 2/3 days. She was told last week, that it was not thought that she was suffering from Pre-eclampsia. She sees the consultant again on Thursday, when she will have another scan to check the growth of the baby.

Ask your daughter to mention HELLP syndrome to her doctor/midwife straightaway. This is a very serious condition and it seems that while everyone has heard of pre-eclampsia, not many have heard of HELLP. It often appears with pre-eclampsia but it can happen without the accompanying blood pressure rise. If she as ANY pain under her ribs on her right side, visual disturbance, headaches or nausea she must go to hospital immediately. HELLP can come on very quickly and is potentially fatal to both mother and baby. Her platelet count is very low and I am surprised the hospital hasn't taken her in already to be monitered. Don't let this go, keep on at the medical staff. I'm sorry if I sound alarmist but I wish someone had said all this to me

AmeliaMum, did you have HELLP? Me too! I was just about to post exactly the same thing. My epigastric pain (under the ribs) was misdiagnosed as indigestion for 2 weeks as I had no other symptoms until someone finally took some blood and I was admitted. Strawberryfair, try not too worry too much about your daughter as if she is being monitored closely they should pick up on any problems and at 36 weeks, if she has too be induced, there shouldn't be any problems with the baby. Low platelets is an issue as platelets help your blood to clot, so there could be problems with a c-section or epidural. But definitely mention the HELLP thing. Hope all goes well for her.

LiegeAndLief - I did have HELLP with no warning signals and it killed my baby and very nearly me. The only sign was a pain in my ribs which was dimissed by friends and family as 'oh the baby has it's foot stuck'. Didn't not even get a chance to got to the doctors because I deteriorated so quickly, basically the pain started at 6pm and by 7 the next morning my baby had died because of a resulting placental abruption and I was incoherent and close to death too. Only my boyfriend finally waking up and calling the hospital saved me.
In my notes the consultant said if my platelets dropped below 50 (which they did) I was to have a transfusion immediately.
Sorry about the essay - LAndL, I hope things turned out better for you.

Thanks for your comments AmeliaMum and LiegeAndLief - a great help. I definitely intend to ask the consultant about HELLP and Pre-eclampsia when I go to the hospital with my daugher on Thursday. The appointment is an emergency scan + referral, so there must be some concern about the pregnancy. I have just spoken to my daughter again and she made a mistake re the platelet count, it was 120 last week and 117 this week. I know the norm is 150 to 400, so not a problem yet, but sill on the low side! My daughter normally has very low blood pressure and it is now 135/95, which is high for her. She also has swollen hands, ankles and legs. I think the heartburn is heartburn - not pain under the ribs. Unfortunately, my daughter is lactose intollerent, so it is not unusual for her to suffer from sickness and headaches!

a platelet ount over 70 is nothing to worry about. Below 70 and you can't have an epidural. I have itp which i have permanently but i know that some people develop it in pregnancy

hi strawberryfair - I had a low platelet count during pg (can't remember the number) and the main worry was if I bled a lot low platelets mean your blood doesn't clot so well. As it happened I haemorraged after the birth and did lose a lot of blood but was still fine (needed a transfusion). This time as the risk of PPH is increased they are going to put a cannula in as soon as I am admitted in labour in case I need another transfusion. Have they said anything about this to your daughter? might be worth mentioning. best of luck to her

Thanks Pixiefish and skidaddle. My daughter doesn't like to hear bad news, so I don't want to worry and upset her if I don't have to. She was warned she may have to be induced, a couple of weeks ago, and warned again yesterday. She told me, a few days ago, that she was in denial, I think she still is. Hopefully, everything will be ok in the end. At least the hospital staff are keeping a very regular check on her and the baby.

Strawberryfair- they know she has a problem so she will get the best care. Problems arise when they don't know that there is something wrong.

Try not to worry

Thank you very much Pixiefish, I really appreciate your comments. It is so nice to know that there are still people around who are prepared to go out of their way to help others (even complete strangers) who are experiencing problems. It is very true that 'a problem shared is a problem halved' -I feel much better now I have aired my concerns with others. I don't feel so useless and, having gained my daughter's permission, now know what questions we should ask her consultant tomorrow.

I had a low platelet count with my last pregnancy. I wqs closely monitored and anytime it went below 50 I was admitted to hospital in case I went into labour. Luckily, when DS arrived it was over 50.They had told me I would have to have a platelet transfusion while I was in labour if it was below 50 at the time of delivery.

I somehow managed to miss reading your second message AmeliaMum. I was very upset to learn that your baby died as a result of HELLP (my deapest sympathy) and that you nearly lost your life. Thank goodness your boyfriend woke up in time to call for help. I will definitely mention HELLP at the hospital tomorrow - thank you so much for the warning.

Thanks for your comments Tiggiwinkle. I am so glad that your DS arrived safely, despite your low platelet count. I feel much more encouraged now.

AmeliaMum, I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. I was very fortunate that my HELLP was apparently "episodic", so that although I had been very ill when I was being misdiagnosed (I was also told by the midwife the baby had probably lodged himself under my ribs), I had recovered a bit by the time I was admitted. Ds arrived safely by c-section at 34 weeks after another episode of epigastric pain. Am so sorry that things didn't turn out that way for you. I always try to post on rib pain threads here just to let people know, hopefully without panicking them!

Strawberryfair, hope your appt with the consultant goes well tomorrow. I can understand how your daughter feels about being in denial but if she has to be induced at this stage hopefully all will go well - babies who turn up of their own accord at 36 weeks are not even classed as premature. Good luck

Thanks for your comments and support LiegeAndLief. I was so pleased to hear your baby arrived safely, despite the HELLP problem. Such a pity that AmeliaMum lost her baby!

Thank you for your sympathy everyone - am half way through my second pregnancy now and everything is going well.
Strawberryfair - good luck for you and your daughter tomorrow.

I do hope you are able to continue to enjoy this pregnancy AmeliaMum, without any problems. You really deserve a trouble free time with a gorgeous baby to take home with you. Good luck! At least you will be carefully monitored now, as the hospital will have full knowledge of your previous history. I am getting a little nervous about the hospital visit today, but intend to ask some direct questions about my daughter, and the baby's, health. This is my only child and my first grandchild - they are both very precious to me! I desperately need to know which of my daughter's medical problems are giving the consultant and the midwives so much concern, and why.

My daughter was admitted to hospital yesterday afternoon. The consultant is concerned about Pre-eclampsia and is keeping an open mind about HELLP at present. Blood pressure was better yesterday (still high for my daughter), protein in urine had doubled and the scan showed a reduced amount of amniotic fluid around the baby - always something. My daughter is to be monitored again for 24 hours, and platelet count, blood pressure and urine checked regularly. If allowed to go home she will require another scan next week. Yet again my daughter has been told they may decide to induce her - possibly at the weekend. She is not a happy bunny, but I am relieved that she is close to medical help instead of wandering off shopping up in London. Naughty Mum!

Pleased to hear she is in hospital and they are taking it seriously. Finger crossed everything goes ok. Being induced is not the worst thing in the world.

Strawberryfair, I am actually quite glad your daughter has been admitted although it might not be so pleasant for her as they will be able to keep a very close eye on her - pre-eclampsia (and HELLP) can come on very suddenly. I was in hospital for 4 weeks before my ds was born. Pre-eclamptic patients were not allowed in single rooms or off the ward on our own in case we collapsed, despite the fact we all felt perfectly well and were constantly complaining! I can very much symapthise with her not wanting to be in hospital, but it really is the best place. If it's any consolation I cried for 2 days and then got surprisingly used to it - felt very odd when I came home and wasn't have my bp checked every 6 hours! Best of luck to both of you.

Thanks for your support everyone - very much appreciated.

I spoke to my daughter this morning and she is not very happy because her blood pressure has shot up again. Just goes to show she is in the right place!

I am taking my daughter some stew to cheer her up as she wont touch hospital food. Fish and chips went down very well last night!

Hopefully, the blood results will be in soon, so we can see what the platelet count is now. The consultant said she was not going to hang around if the test results were still of concern, so I think we may have a baby this weekend - fingers crossed.

Thanks very much cbcb. My daughter has been told she is more likely to be induced - vaginal delivery. Her blood pressure is up and down like a yoyo at present and the protein in her urine has doubled, platelet count a little better though. My daughter is desperate to go home, but I am delighted she is being kept in, where I know she will be safe. She was initially admitted to hospital for 24 hours, but was told, yesterday morning it would be at least until Monday. If she is sent out then she will have to visit the day unit every day, so I am pretty sure they will keep her in. No baby this weekend I am afraid!

She is staying in!!!! Consultant has warned her that she has Pre-Eclampsia.

Consultant says to expect baby soon! Was dying to ask "How soon?", but don't think DD was ready for the reply! Can't decide now whether to worry or to get excited. Feel very sorry for DD as she is not a happy bunny I am afraid.

White stocking issued today (toe to buttocks) - hospitals are obviously reacting very quickly to recent articles in the national newspapers concerning high level of deaths from DVT.

Thanks very much cbcb.

My daughter's blood pressure is v high today - she has been moved to a quieter side ward. The doctor has explained the process of Induction to her and there will be a decision as to how they will proceed tomorrow. It looks as if my daughter will probably have her baby sometime next week.