Newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia in a pregnant patient after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination

J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Nov;47(11):4077-4080. doi: 10.1111/jog.14978. Epub 2021 Aug 22.

Abstract

Over 26 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported in the United States with over 440 000 deaths. Despite COVID-19 vaccine approval, pregnant women were excluded from clinical trials. We report a case of immune thrombocytopenia in the first trimester, which occurred 13 days after initiating the COVID-19 vaccination series. Thorough evaluation, including hematology consultation, established the diagnosis. High-dose oral corticosteroids were started, and she was discharged home with significant improvement in platelet count on her fourth day of hospitalization with no subsequent complications. We advocate that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risk of infection in pregnancy and that pregnant women should be included in clinical trials. Closer post-vaccination surveillance may be warranted in the pregnant population pending further data.

Keywords: COVID-19; immune thrombocytopenia; pregnancy; vaccination.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • COVID-19*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* / chemically induced
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* / diagnosis
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • United States
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines