Is that possible to get a baby?

Im planning to have a baby. But im worried. I read a blog written by an ITP mom. She said she had gone through a very difficult time and even risking her own life, in order to give birth.

Are we all have to risk our own life to get a baby? How good is the chance to get a safe delivery? My platelet count currently is 20,000. I knew i must reach at least 50,000 before i get pregnant. I also got hyperthyroidism which makes the delivery more complicated. Who can tell me, is there any chance for me to get a safe delivery??? what complication i may encounter? what's the worst to expect? and please tell me everything i should know.  

Please help!! Thanks!

[txsilver]

I do not have ITP but wanted to write you to encourage you to contact your doctor to get the best possible answer to your questions.  Because your doctor knows you and your history, he/she will best be able to advise you on what you can expect and what you need to consider and prepare for as you make your plans.

[crystal6036]

Thanks txsilver! I asked my doc last time, but he said its hard to predict, because everybody may have difference reaction. So, i hope i can get some clues from some people here who got the same disease as me and share with me their pregnant experiences. My doc consoled me that everything should be OK, but after i read the blog (as i mentioned before), i only knew that its not an easy task for us (with ITP) to deliver.  =<

[Weesy68]

Well, I don't have ITP but I did have a daughter with cancer which affected her platelets.  Let me just tell you that with a platelet count of 20,000, I would definitely not risk it.  You would be at a high risk of bleeding and you and your baby could die.  I am sure there are other risks as well, but I agree with your platelet count needing to be much higher.  Did your doctor advise you what you can do to help that number go up?  I'm sure they can always stand by with blood for an immediate transfusion, but like my daughter's cancer your antibodies will destroy the new platelets.  The question is how fast do they destroy the new ones?  You can also have adverse reactions to antibodies in the blood of another person even though it is your blood type.  If you should go ahead with it and take all the precautions your doctor advises, I wonder if there is some way for you to store your blood should you need it.  This way you would actually avoid the possibility of an adverse reaction since it would be your own blood.  I know they say transfusion isn't normally used because antibodies just destroy them, but do they really destroy them any faster than a patient with cancer?  They gave us several transfusions because her platelets were continuously falling until the cancer was in remission, but those transfusions were still helpful even though the platelets didn't stay as long as we would have liked.  I'm still thinking they wouldn't destroy your blood at a fast enough rate if you had enough blood stored up.  This may be an odd thought, but look up acute promyelocytic leukemia.  You may be able to find some treatments they use because that particular type of leukemia presents with a very severe bleeding diathesis.  My daughter had 7,000 platelets at diagnosis and symptoms were visible, but 7,000 doesn't mean a lot when you consider that 150,000 to 300,000 is normal.  In my research though I found out that there were children who were Jehovah's Witnesses and so they were not allowed due to religion to have blood transfusions.  I know they used something in those cases to try to help that problem but I don't recall what it was, but it may be something that could come in handy for someone with ITP.  I'm just throwing those ideas out because who knows, maybe you'll think of something no one else has, ha ha.  

[crystal6036]

Thanks for your information! I would consult my doc about the idea of storing up my own blood. I think thats a brilliant idea!!

I would also try to find out the alternative medicine that used by the Jehovah's Witnesses children in treating low platelet count. Thanks again for this useful information, at least there is a hope for me.....Thanks!!  =>

[Giggles808]

Hi. I know its been awhile since youve had a reply on this topic. I have ITP and i also would really like a family, my count goes up and down, but unless i get the flu I can maintain just over 100k. I talked to my doctor about it and he said we just rally had to wait till the time came and figure out the steps from there. A friend of my family has ITP and she maintains about a 30k count. She had a baby after she was diagnosed, only she was forced to have a C-section. They were able to bring her count up for delivery but not high enough to not worry. This was a couple years back and i live on Kauai, Hawaii. I think our hospital does not allow natural birth for ITP patients.

[crystal6036]

Glad to hear that there was another success delivery story out there! => Good luck to you!! Hope we can have a baby soon!