Instead of treating serious fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) symptoms when they emerge, doctors are finding ways to prevent them from happening in the first place, according to a recent review published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
Right now, doctors usually start managing FNAIT after a baby is already sick. They treat it by giving platelet transfusions to the baby or giving the mother a medicine called intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The problem is these treatments are risky and don’t always work well.
Now, new tests are being developed to help doctors identify pregnancies at risk of FNAIT at an early stage.
Additionally, new medicines show promise in preventing serious complications associated with FNAIT. For example, special medicines called monoclonal antibodies could be given to mothers at risk of FNAIT to block their immune system from attacking the baby’s platelets.
“These developments signal a fundamental transformation in the management of FNAIT, from responding to clinical crises after fetal injury has occurred to preventing disease before it manifests,” the review authors said.
Read more about FNAIT testing and diagnosis
Scientists are working to create quick, easy tests that doctors can use right at a patient’s bedside. These tests would check if a mother’s blood could harm her baby’s platelets. Getting results faster means doctors could start helping sooner, especially in hospitals that don’t have many resources.
Computers using artificial intelligence could look at a mother’s genes, blood test results, and pregnancy history all at once. This would help doctors figure out which babies are most at risk for FNAIT, so they can give the right treatment to the right people.
Although monoclonal antibodies look promising, doctors need to run large, careful studies first to make sure they are safe and actually work before giving them to pregnant women.
