A recent study published in the British Journal of Haematology found that mothers of children with fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) may be at risk of developing certain psychological or autoimmune conditions.
Few studies to date have examined the impacts of an FNAIT diagnosis on the mother of an affected child. However, anecdotal evidence has suggested that these individuals may be more likely to have autoimmune diseases, prompting the study authors to evaluate this association more thoroughly.
“We believe the mother should no longer be overlooked in the multidisciplinary care of FNAIT-affected families,” they wrote.
The study surveyed 509 members of NAITbabies, an England-based nonprofit that supports families impacted by FNAIT. Participants were asked to provide details on their history of past pregnancies, autoimmunity and psychological symptoms.
Read more about FNAIT signs and symptoms
The authors found that 54% of respondents reported psychological problems lasting more than six weeks. Notably, 90% of these individuals reported having anxiety, while over 50% also reported prolonged depression, stress and trouble sleeping.
Additionally, mothers who had more FNAIT-affected children were more likely to experience psychological symptoms. While 51% of mothers with one affected child reported such symptoms, 55% of those with two children and 62% of those with three children reported the same.
The next most common complaints were musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms, each experienced by 30% of participants. The most common complaints within each category were joint pain (88%) and heartburn (59%).
The most frequently reported autoimmune diseases in the study population were thyroiditis, insulin-dependent diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus (n=3). Neither birthweight nor the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage were affected by the presence of autoimmune disease.
“By exploring affected mothers, this study expands the spectrum of diseases associated with FNAIT to include maternal autoimmunity and especially psychological symptoms,” the authors concluded.
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