Risk factors of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, 2023 – 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71357/hsij.v3i1.67Keywords:
Thrombocytopenia, Pregnancy, Risk factor , Prevalence , ZimbabweAbstract
Background: Thrombocytopenia is a common hematological finding during pregnancy, affecting approximately 7-12% of pregnancies globally. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women in Africa is around 10.23%. Specific data might be less readily available in Zimbabwe hence the present study
Objective:This study aimed to determine the prevalence of thrombocytopenia and identify associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals(PGH)
Method: The study used an analytical cross sectional design conducted at the PGH Haematology Laboratory. Using purposive sampling we enrolled all pregnant women over 18 years of age receiving ANC at PGH, from June 2023 to June 2024 at PGH. Chi square test was used to test association between thrombocytopenia and various risk factor P < 0.05 was set as statistically significant
Results: A total of 380 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was 18.7%. Pregnant women In their majority were located in urban high-density areas (45%) and were young (18–25 years: 31% of cases). With regard to the disease severity the severe thrombocytopenia peaked in the third trimester (55%), correlating with hypertensive disorders. Hypertension (OR=2.51, 95% CI=1.25–5.03, p=0.024) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA); OR=1.81, 95% CI=1.01–3.26, p=0.042) were significant predictors as well as age being lesser than 30 years old OR 0.27 CI (0.14-0.5), p=0.0001) but gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) showed no association (OR=0.96, p=0.939)
Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia is a significant concern in pregnancy, particularly in early gestation, with mild cases dominating. IDA and high-density residency emerged as critical risk factors, while hematological biomarkers demonstrated predictive utility.
Downloads
References
Asrie, F., Enawgaw, B., & Getaneh, Z. (2017). Prevalence of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women attending antenatal care service at Gondar University Teaching Hospital in 2014, northwest Ethiopia. Journal of blood medicine, 8, 61–66. https://doi.org/10.2147/JBM.S136152
Babah, O. A., Akinajo, O. R., Beňová, L., Hanson, C., Abioye, A. I., Adaramoye, V. O., Adeyemo, T. A., Balogun, M. R., Banke-Thomas, A., Galadanci, H. S., Sam-Agudu, N. A., Afolabi, B. B., & Larsson, E. C. (2024). Prevalence of and risk factors for iron deficiency among pregnant women with moderate or severe anaemia in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 24(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-06169-1
Begam, A., Sujatha, T. L., Nambisan, B., & Vasanthakumari, K. P. (2017). Risk factors of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6(2), 700-707.
Chen, Q., Ren, Z., Liu, Y., Qiu, Y., Yang, H., Zhou, Y., Wang, X., Jiao, K., Liao, J., & Ma, L. (2021). The Association between Preterm Birth and Ambient Air Pollution Exposure in Shiyan, China, 2015-2017. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(8), 4326. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084326
Cines, D. B., & Levine, L. D. (2017). Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 130(21), 2271-2277. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2017-05-781971
Eisa, M. S., Al-Tikrity, M. A., Babikikir, M. M., & Yassin, M. A. (2021). Thrombocytopenia secondary to iron deficiency anemia responding to iron therapy. Clinical case reports, 9(7), 10.1002/ccr3.3983. https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.3983
Erhabor, O., Muhammad, A. D., Adias, T. C., Ahmed, Y., & Erhabor, T. (2020). Anaemia and thrombocytopenia among pregnant women attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State, North Western Nigeria. Human antibodies, 28(1), 11–19. https://doi.org/10.3233/HAB-190388
Fogerty, A. E., & Kuter, D. J. (2024). How I treat thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. Blood, 143 (9), 747–756. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2023020726
Gemechu, K. S., Assefa, N., & Mengistie, B. (2020). Prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Women's health (London, England), 16, 1745506520973105. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745506520973105
Getawa, S., Getaneh, Z., & Melku, M. (2022). Thrombocytopenia among pregnant women in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Pan African medical journal, 41, 334. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2022.41.334.30175
Guglielmini, G., Falcinelli, E., Piselli, E., Mezzasoma, A. M., Tondi, F., Alfonsi, L., De Luca, C., Fino, V., Favilli, A., Parrettini, S., Minuz, P., Torlone, E., Gresele, P., & Gerli, S. (2025). Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with in vivo platelet activation and platelet hyperreactivity. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 232(1), 120.e1–120.e14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2024.04.003
Hamad, M. N. M., Idam, D. K., & Alshazali, H. A. (2018). Prevalence of gestational thrombocytopenia among selected group of pregnant women attended to soba university hospital, Sudan, July-September 2016. MOJ Womens Health, 7(6), 197-200. DOI: 10.15406/mojwh.2018.07.00198
Harrington, K. A., Cameron, N. A., Culler, K., Grobman, W. A., & Khan, S. S. (2023). Rural-Urban Disparities in Adverse Maternal Outcomes in the United States, 2016-2019. American journal of public health, 113(2), 224–227. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307134
Hassan, B. J., & Campos, M. P. de O. (2018). Iron Deficiency Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 8(3), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7920.10001090
Kebede, S. S., Daniel, T., Alemu, A., & Bambo, G. M. (2024). Magnitude and associated factors of thrombocytopenia, among pregnant women at Mizan Tepi university teaching hospital south west Ethiopia. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 24(1), 411. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06609-6
Mangla, A., & Hamad, H. (2022). Thrombocytopenia in Pregnancy. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547705/
Morris, V. K., Spraker, H. L., Howard, S. C., Ware, R. E., & Reiss, U. M. (2010). Severe thrombocytopenia with iron deficiency anemia. Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, 27(5), 413–419. https://doi.org/10.3109/08880011003739455
Ngene, N. C., & Moodley, J. (2024). Preventing maternal morbidity and mortality from preeclampsia and eclampsia particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology, 94, 102473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2024.102473
Pacinella, G., Ciaccio, A. M., & Tuttolomondo, A. (2022). Endothelial Dysfunction and Chronic Inflammation: The Cornerstones of Vascular Alterations in Age-Related Diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(24), 15722. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415722
Pishko, A. M., & Marshall, A. L. (2022). Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. Hematology. American Society of Hematology. Education Program, 2022(1), 303–311. https://doi.org/10.1182/hematology.2022000375
Ye, M., Zhou, C., Li, L., Wang, L., & Zhang, M. (2025). Effects of pregnancy-induced hypertension on early-onset neonatal thrombocytopenia. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 25(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07193-z
Zhang, Y. (2024). Factors influencing iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy and the association of iron deficiency. University of Estern Finland.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ronald Chamunorwa Chikwengo, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu, Maibouge Tanko Mahamane Salissou
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Health Sciences International Journal (HSIJ) © 2023 by Ananda Health and Education Foundation is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
