Changes in Haematological Indices in Normal Pregnancy

Variation in some haematological indices during normal pregnancy was investigated. The test group comprised 200 pregnant women who presented themselves at the Capitol Hill Clinic Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, for antenatal care while the control group comprised 80 nonpregnant women randomly selected from the student population in Delta State University, Abraka. Data generated from the pretest questionnaire indicated that 55.8% of the research participants experienced an increase in appetite. The analysis of haematological indices was done using automated hematological analyzer. The result from the study showed that there was a significant decrease ( ) in the PCV of the test group ( )% when compared to the control ( )%. Similarly, the result of the blood haemoglobin showed a significant difference ( ) between the test ( )？g/dL and the control group ( )？g/dL while granulocytes and platelets also showed significant decrease ( ) with lymphocytes increasing significantly; the total white blood cell count (WBC) showed no significant difference; there was an increased level compared to the control. The study concluded that pregnancy in women has the tendency to alter haematological indices. 1. Introduction Normal pregnancy is characterized by profound changes in almost every organ and system to accommodate the demands of fetoplacental unit [1]. In normal pregnancy, the physiological change in haemoglobin concentration [HGB] and platelet count during pregnancy are well known phenomena [2]. It is also one of the physiological conditions capable of causing remarkable and dramatic changes in haematological variables. A pregnancy is influenced by many factors, some of which include culture, environment, socioeconomic status, and access to medical care. The haematological indices also have an impact on pregnancy and its outcome [2]. The haematological indices of an individual to a large extent reflect their general health [3]. Blood is a special type of connective tissue composed of formed elements in a fluid matrix. Many of the hematological indices are influenced by many factors like sex, seasonal variation, lactation, pregnancy health, and nutritional status [4]. It is also acknowledged that for comparisons between individuals and with reference data in a clinical diagnostic situation, it is necessary to consider the normal variations due to sex, age, and breed in order to increase diagnostic precision [5]. In normal pregnancy the haematological indices of an individual to a large extent reflect their general health [3] and many studies such as Osonuga et al. [6]