Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesLifestyle Risk Factors
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Thrombocytopeniais diagnosed when the number of platelets in the blood is low.
Platelets are the cells in the blood that clot the blood and heal blood vessel walls in the event of bleeding. Having too few platelets can lead to bruising or active bleeding.
Normal platelet counts are 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of blood and can be discovered during a simple blood test. If a platelet count falls below 150,000 per microliter of blood, it is called thrombocytopenia.
This article discusses the causes and risk factors for thrombocytopenia.
Verywell / Dennis Madamba
What Is Thrombocytopenia?
Sometimes platelets will sequester, or stay in the spleen and not out in the circulating blood.
Bone Marrow Suppression
Bone marrow is the tissue inside of bones that makes white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. If the bone marrow is not working properly, it may not make enough platelets. Some conditions that may keep bone marrow from working properly include:
Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia
Spleen Sequestration
Normally, about one-third of the platelets in the body will rest in thespleen. However, sometimes certain conditions cause the spleen to hold on to a greater number of platelets. Some of these conditions include:
Pregnancy
Low platelet counts can be a fairly common finding during the last trimesterof pregnancy. This can happen without a known cause, but may develop due to other pregnancy-related complications such aspreeclampsiaorHELLP syndrome.
Genetics
Certain genetic conditions can lead to the development of low platelets.
X-Linked Thrombocytopenia
In this genetic disorder, platelets are smaller than normal and platelet counts are less than normal. People with X-linked thrombocytopenia often have easy bruising, and sometimes they may have eczema as well.
Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
Congenital Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia
This genetic disorder is typically discovered within the first days of an infant’s life, and the infant develops bleeding due to critically low platelet counts.
Alcohol Use
Heavy and frequent alcohol use can directly decrease platelet counts in the blood. This is also often associated with dietary deficiencies such as B12 or folate, which can also decrease platelet counts.
Chemical Exposure
Environmental exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides and arsenic can decrease platelet counts in the blood.
A Word From Verywell
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.MDS Foundation.What is MDS?Gauer R, Braun MM.Thrombocytopenia.AFP. 2012;85(6):612-622.Ciobanu AM, Colibaba S, Cimpoca B, Peltecu G, Panaitescu AM.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Maedica (Bucur). 2016;11(1):55-60.D’Andrea G, Chetta M, Margaglione M.Inherited platelet disorders: thrombocytopenias and thrombocytopathies.Blood Transfus. 2009;7(4):278-292. doi:10.2450/2009.0078-08Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.MDS Foundation.What is MDS?Gauer R, Braun MM.Thrombocytopenia.AFP. 2012;85(6):612-622.Ciobanu AM, Colibaba S, Cimpoca B, Peltecu G, Panaitescu AM.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Maedica (Bucur). 2016;11(1):55-60.D’Andrea G, Chetta M, Margaglione M.Inherited platelet disorders: thrombocytopenias and thrombocytopathies.Blood Transfus. 2009;7(4):278-292. doi:10.2450/2009.0078-08Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.MDS Foundation.What is MDS?Gauer R, Braun MM.Thrombocytopenia.AFP. 2012;85(6):612-622.Ciobanu AM, Colibaba S, Cimpoca B, Peltecu G, Panaitescu AM.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Maedica (Bucur). 2016;11(1):55-60.D’Andrea G, Chetta M, Margaglione M.Inherited platelet disorders: thrombocytopenias and thrombocytopathies.Blood Transfus. 2009;7(4):278-292. doi:10.2450/2009.0078-08Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.
MDS Foundation.What is MDS?
Gauer R, Braun MM.Thrombocytopenia.AFP. 2012;85(6):612-622.
Ciobanu AM, Colibaba S, Cimpoca B, Peltecu G, Panaitescu AM.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Maedica (Bucur). 2016;11(1):55-60.
D’Andrea G, Chetta M, Margaglione M.Inherited platelet disorders: thrombocytopenias and thrombocytopathies.Blood Transfus. 2009;7(4):278-292. doi:10.2450/2009.0078-08
Cleveland Clinic.Thrombocytopenia.
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