Approximately 20 persons attended the subcommittee meeting. All participated actively in the discussions.

The first half of the meeting was devoted to hypercoagulability and thrombosis in the obstetrical patient. Drs. Margreta Hellgren and Jacquie Conard presented a comprehensive summary addressing epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy and prophylaxis of thrombosis during pregnancy and the puerperium. The management of women with thrombophilia received special attention. An enormous effort was evident in the breadth and depth of the data and was appreciated by all present. A proposal was made to develop this report into Guidelines to be presented to this committee at the Washington meeting with publication recommendations at that time.

Dr. James Bussel gave an update on Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia. It was proposed that an updated Guidelines paper on this topic (last done in 1991) should be prepared and presented at the Washington meeting in anticipation of publication. We would like to see these guidelines published as a joint recommendation of the Platelet Immunology and Perinatal/Pediatric Subcommittees.

Drs. James Bussel and Anton Sutor reported on their assigned task to determine the scope and correlates of intracranial hemorrhage in children with ITP. A questionaire has been prepared, IRB consent has been drafted and the joint project should commence in North America and Europe by September. Preliminary results will be reported in Washington.

Dr. Sutor reported on the Subcommitteeâs position paper on Neonatal Vitamin K deficiency. This paper is recommended for publication. Dr. Sutor will add the requested statement on breastfeeding while taking oral anticoagulants and will share this recommendation with Dr. Hellgren to ensure that the obstetrical recommendations are identical.

Dr. Patti Massacotte reported on use and monitoring of 2 LMW heparin preparations in infants and children, Enoxaparin and Reviparin. It was proposed that recommendations for use of unfractionated heparin, LMW heparin and thrombolytic agents would be combined and prepared for publication from this Subcommittee. That manuscript should be completed this year.

The discussion on coagulation testing in children with thrombosis had to be abridged due to the absence of Dr. Nowak-Göttl and the dearth of time. These recommendations will be drafted as a Guidelines paper and circulated to committee members for comment. A final report will be presented in Washington.

New Business: After discussing a number of potential topics, the participants in the meeting expressed interest in future exploration of the following issues:

Obstetrical: evaluation and management of bleeding disorders in pregnant women.

Neonatal: DIC (to be done in collaboration with the DIC subcommittee with Dr. Keith Hoots as a liaison).

Pediatric: venous occlusive disease in transplantation and chemotherapy: epidemiology, pathophysiology and implications for therapeutic trials.