home birth low platelets - 133

[teamB2011]

I am 37 +4 weeks in my first pregnancy and it has just been identified by the community midwife that my blood results back in June showed platelet level at 144. She therefore did another blood test and this has come back as 133.
I am waiting for the community midwife who i have dealt with to come back from leave tomorrow and will discuss it with her then. However, the community midwife who called me with the results said it is probably too low for home birth.
Just wondered if anyone has any experience of this? I would like to try for home birth if possible.
I also wondered if anyone has any recommendations to try and increase the platelet levels? I have heard papaya leaf extract may assist.
Thanks

[RedKites]

I'm sorry, I don't have any experience of this so I am mainly bumping it for you... Although I did find this on homebirth.org.uk and while the link in it didn't work, I think it was possibly trying to link to this information now on midwifery.org.uk . I don't know what most of it means but hopefully it might give you some things to discuss with the community midwife.

I hope it all goes well, whatever you end up deciding, and wherever you end up giving birth.

[teamB2011]

thank you redkites.

[DinoSnores]

Platelets of 133 are only ever so slightly below the normal range of 150-400, so, if this was me, I'd be asking for a chat with the Supervisor of Midwives what her thoughts are about the real risks of a home birth with a very marginally low platelet level, rather than just looking at a number.

This page explains things quite nicely about why they might be on the low end:

www.babycentre.co.uk/x542273/should-i-worry-if-i-have-low-platelets

[MrsPixieMoo]

Could I also add that you could ask the midwives to speak to a consultant haematologist for advice. I had borderline low platelets several years ago and the haematologist was the most sensible person in the hospital. It wasn't pregnancy related but it helped me make good decisions about the best place for my care.

[DinoSnores]

That is a good point. Most hospitals will have a haematologist who specialises (at least some of the time) in obstetrics so should be able to offer more specialised advice.

[teamB2011]

Thanks everyone. Spoke to my actual midwife today and she said it is fine at this level for home birth but she is nevertheless going to speak to doctor. 100 seems to be their benchmark.my levels have only dropped by 10 or so in 5/6 weeks so hopefully will not drop too much in next 2.5 weeks as i approach due date. Fingers crossed! Thanks again.