Trajectory of platelets in pregnancy – do low-risk women need an intrapartum full blood count prior to epidural?

This study aimed to investigate whether pregnant women with a normal 28-week gestation platelet count and no high-risk conditions for thrombocytopenia require a pre-epidural platelet count. All 1844 included women (platelet count > 150 × 109/L at 28 weeks' gestation, term singleton birth, no thrombocytopenia risk conditions) had a platelet count > 100 × 109/L prebirth, suggesting low-risk pregnant women do not require pre-epidural full blood count solely to check platelet count.