Successful treatment of essential thrombocythaemia and recurrent abortion with alpha interferon.

A 27-year-old woman with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) had three miscarriages. She was treated with alpha interferon which was continued after she became pregnant again. The platelet count remained well controlled and at term she delivered a healthy baby with normal blood counts. The case demonstrates the effectiveness of IFN in preventing recurrent miscarriage associated with ET and the safety of IFN with respect to fertility and fetal development.