Decreased Platelet Aggregation during Pregnancy Correlates with Gestational Age

Abstract

In vivo platelet aggregation was determined in pregnant women at different gestational ages and nonpregnant women by a modification of a method. A higher platelet count ratio (PCR) was found in pregnant women after a gestational age of 13 weeks. At 16–30 and 31–41 weeks of gestation, in vivo platelet aggregation was significantly decreased. The PCR, meaning the ratio of non-aggregated platelets to all circulating platelets, correlated significantly with gestational age. It is suggested that the decrease in in vivo aggregation measured during pregnancy reflects a summarized effect of different factors during pregnancy connected to placenta and uteroplacental vessels.

Gestational diabetes affects platelet behaviour through modified oxidative radical metabolism

“…In agreement with these observations, we found a significant increase in NOS activity in platelets from healthy pregnant women compared with non‐pregnant subjects. This finding might be related to the reduced percentage of activated platelets after in vitro stimuli and the decreased in vivo aggregation observed during normal pregnancy [19,20], as the L‐arginine–NO system regulates platelet aggregation in this condition [21]. The benefits of increased NOS activity in pregnancy are shown in Fig.…”