Search

Summary: Lymphoma in pregnancy (LIP) presents unique clinical, social and ethical challenges; however, the evidence regarding this clinical scenario is limited. We conducted a multicentre retrospective observational study reporting on the features, management, and outcomes of LIP in patients diagnosed between January 2009 and December 2020 at 16 sites in Australia and New Zealand for the first time. We included diagnoses occurring either during pregnancy or within the first 12 months following delivery. A total of 73 patients were included, 41 diagnosed antenatally (AN cohort) and 32 postnatally (PN cohort). The most common diagnoses were Hodgkin lymphoma (HL; 40 patients), diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL; 11) and primary mediastinal B‐cell lymphoma (PMBCL; six). At a median follow up of 2.37 years, the 2‐ and 5‐year overall survival (OS) for patients with HL were 91% and 82%. For the combined DLBCL and PMBCL group, the 2‐year OS was 92%. Standard curative chemotherapy regimens were successfully delivered to 64% of women in the AN cohort; however, counselling regarding future fertility and termination of pregnancy were suboptimal, and a standardised approach to staging lacking. Neonatal outcomes were generally favourable. We present a large multicentre cohort of LIP reflecting contemporary practice and identify areas in need of ongoing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphoma in pregnancy is a rare and challenging diagnosis that complicates ∼1:6000 pregnancies; posing a series of unique therapeutic, social, and ethical challenges to the patient, her family, and the medical professionals involved. These difficulties are compounded by the paucity of real-world data on the management of LIP, and a lack of relevant support systems for women in this setting. We conducted a retrospective multicenter qualitative study, interviewing women aged ≥18 years of age diagnosed with Hodgkin (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) during pregnancy or within 12 months postpartum, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2020 from 13 Australasian sites. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted, recorded, and analyzed using QSR Int NVivo 12 Pro (March 2020, USA) to quantify salient themes. Of the 32 women interviewed, 20 (63%) were diagnosed during pregnancy (16, 34, and 13% in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, respectively), while 12 (37%) were diagnosed post-partum. Women recalled that their chief concerns at diagnosis were the welfare of their child (n = 13, 41%) and a fear of dying (n = 9, 28%). Perceived diagnostic delay attributed to pregnancy was reported by 41% of participants. Other key themes were communication, educational materials, psychosocial supports, and oncofertility issues. To our knowledge this is the first report capturing the lived experiences of survivors of lymphoma during pregnancy, affording a unique opportunity to consider the management, psychosocial supports, and delivery of care to meet the needs of these women. What is the NEW aspect of your work? To our knowledge, this is the first report capturing and analyzing the healthcare experiences of survivors of Lymphoma in Pregnancy (LIP). What is the CENTRAL finding of your work? Women valued clear and empathic communication, provision of tailored educational materials, access to psychosocial supports (particularly childcare and financial supports), and timely oncofertility management in their healthcare journey. What is (or could be) the SPECIFIC clinical relevance of your work? Women's personal accounts of positive and negative experiences of LIP care provide insights into their specific concerns and needs which can shape healthcare policy and development of a specific framework for managing and supporting patients with LIP (and other cancers). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy is a common occurrence, affecting up to 10% of women by the time of birth. These recommendations aim to provide pragmatic guidance on the investigation, diagnosis and management of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy; including safety of neuraxial anaesthesia and precautions required for birth. Management of neonatal thrombocytopenia is also addressed. The authors are clinicians representing haematology, obstetric medicine, maternal‐fetal medicine, and anaesthesia. Each author conducted a detailed literature review then worked collaboratively to produce a series of unanimous recommendations. The recommendation strength is limited by the lack of high‐quality clinical trial data, and represents level C evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 1 in 10 pregnant women will develop thrombocytopenia during an otherwise unremarkable pregnancy. While the most frequent cause is gestational thrombocytopenia, a benign clinical entity which typically induces a mild platelet fall in late pregnancy, a number of important pregnancy-specific causes must be excluded, particularly pre-eclampsia and its severe form hemolysis with elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP). For women who do not have an identifiable pregnancy-related cause of thrombocytopenia, an underlying medical condition should be considered. The most common of these is immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Management of ITP in pregnancy can prove particularly challenging. First-line treatment options are limited to intravenous immunoglobulin or corticosteroids; with a higher rate of adverse effects and a lower likelihood of response than in the non-pregnant population. The safety data for commonly employed second-line treatment options is scarce, and there is no international consensus on the optimal second-line treatment in pregnancy. Management of ITP is further complicated by the desire to attain higher platelet thresholds to facilitate the safe administration of neuraxial anesthesia and minimize the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Finally, the risk of neonatal thrombocytopenia must be considered and appropriate precautions taken at the time of delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]