Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytes are platelets, small blood cells that are important for clotting. A shortage of platelets, thrombocytopaenia, in newborns may be a response to preeclampsia in the mother in babies with severe growth inhibition at birth, a reaction to an infection caused by either bacteria or certain viruses, and in rare cases a form of immunisation. Thrombocytopaenia may cause the baby to bleed more easily.

The primary treatment is a blood transfusion with thrombocytes when the thrombocyte count becomes too low.

Text: Kajsa Bohlin Blennow