The test is typically done at the hip bone. First a shot of novocaine or some other numbing agent is given. Then a needle is pushed through the bone and into the marrow. Some of the marrow is then suctioned out and examined. While some people experience little or no pain, others have found the test excruciating.
Platelets are very large when they are first made.
The presence of many large platelets usually means that your bone marrow is producing platelets in large numbers and the older ones have been killed off by the antibodies leaving only the younger ones. A sample of blood is drawn from a vein into a tube that contains an anticoagulant. If the platelet count is very low the test may be done manually. Many women with ITP deliver fine, healthy babies, although this is not without risk. Your decision and your treatment depend on your count an your symptoms.