Do I need to do induction due to low platelet count?

[Anonymous]

I went to see my OB this morning. They said I have low platelet count (I am around 120)
and they suggested me to do induction. Is that normal?

[Anonymous]

Did your OB explain what his concern was due to low platelet count?

[Anonymous]

She said I may be in a risk of losing too much blood during labor.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to keep asking questions here, but how will an induction prevent the loss of too much blood during labor?

[Anonymous]

There is a risk of losing blood during delivery - a tear in the placenta or vaginal wall, etc. Platelets are what clot your blood. If they are low, it takes longer for your blood to clot from an injury/trauma.

But, why are you polling DCUM on this? This is really a decision to be made by you and your OB or get a second opinion from another.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP,; I don't understand why you are posing these Qs to DCUM instead of your doc. Do you trust anonymous posters on a parenting board more than your doctor? Yikes.

[Anonymous]

I'd spend some time researching it on your own before you agree to an induction. Also, what is your Bishop score? (google it if you don't know what I'm talking about!)

[Anonymous]

Come on, some of you are not being very fair here. OP obviously wants views from others that aren't her OB. She is doing the right thing but not trusting her OB blind and wants to do her research before agreeing to an induction.

OP - I don't know the answer to your question and suggest you do more research before agreeing to an induction. An induction has a higher chance of leading to a c-section and if your OB is concerned about blood loss during labour, I can't see that being induced will change this.

[Anonymous]

I have already discussed my situations with my OB doctors. But I just wonder if anyone else has similar situation like me. I trust my doctors but I just want to know more about if it is really necessary before I agree to do induction. I checked on the internet and it seems that it is not really necessary.

[Anonymous]

I'm assuming since you were not immediately admitted that you do not have any other symptons or lab results such as high BP, protein in your urine, liver enzyme count being off, headaches, upper quadrant pain, or visual disturbances (floaters) etc . Low platelets are often part of HELLP a very,very serious and fast moving condition that is often coupled with PE.

If your platelet counts drops below with or without HELLP/PE a certain level it is unsafe to have an epidural or spinal which means a general if you need an emergency c-section and the risk in surgery is much higher from the loss of clotting function.

[Anonymous]

I agree - talk to your dr. But for what it's worth....

A platelet count of 120 isn't that low. Normal range starts at 150. I had gestational thrombocytopenia (low platelets during pregnancy), and my Drs treated it very differently from how you're describing (my numbers went from about 90's to 60's). They said that unless it drops below 50, it's not really dangerous. The glitch is that if it dropped below 75, I wasn't allowed to have an epidural. If I'm remembering correctly (could be wrong!),the recommended course in some pubmed articles I read was no intervention unless it drops a bit lower than what you're describing. My Drs simply monitored my platelets carefully every week, but then ended up inducing at 37 weeks when I also got high blood pressure.

So from what I've read, you should be concerned if you start dropping lower. OR, as another poster said, if you also have high blood pressure, or other signs of HELLP syndrome. But each case is different, so maybe there's a specific reason to induce in your case, or maybe you're further along (I'm wondering if at say 38 weeks they might be more likely to induce, because the baby is pretty much ready anyway). Good luck with everything.

[Anonymous]

Is this the first time you've had a lower-than-usual platelet count? Mine went down and fluctuated, but we kept track of it for a few weeks before my OB said it was low enough that it was time to move (I was 41 weeks by then).

I hate being induced (pitocin = a way to make labor more painful, woo hoo!). My dr tried to accomodate me, but I went below 100 (sorry, don't remember by how much) and stayed there.

Eat bananas? Can't remember why that's supposed to help, but whatever.