Establishment Of Hematological Reference Ranges For Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care At Nakaseke Hospital

Abstract

Background: Measurement of haematological parameters is key to the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of many infectious diseases and pregnancy related conditions. However, less effort has been put in establishment of these parameters in developing countries where clinical care strongly relies on laboratory diagnosis. This study reports on the haematological reference ranges among pregnant attending antenatal care in Nakaseke Hospital.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted during the months of August and November, 2018 among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nakaseke hospital. Ethylene di-amine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) venous blood were collected and a full blood count (FBC) was run. Data was presented in tabular form as mean ± SD in reference to 95 % reference intervals.

Results: Overall, 135 consented pregnant women were enrolled. The red blood cells (RBCs) showed a gradual decrease in haemoglobin and RBCs counts as the pregnancy progressed from 1 st to 2nd and then became constant 3rd trimester as 4.04-5.02, 3.77-4.67 and3.92- 4.7 respectively. The haematocrit value decreases from the1st to the 2nd trimesters and then remains constant in the 3rd trimester as 36.94- 45.3, 34.67-41.35 and 32.47-44.79 respectively. There was no significant change in MCV. For the white blood cells (WBCs), there was no significant change in the total count from the 1 st to the 2nd trimesters, but there is significant rise in the 3 rd trimester as 4.57-8.75 , 4.41-8.85 and 4.8-9.2 respectively. The granulocytes were affected by the increase in numbers. The total platelet count decreased from the 1 st to the 2nd to the 3 rd trimesters as 152.38-267.24, 145.41-224.59 and 128.48-220.94 respectively.

Conclusion: This study has explored a variance in the blood cell parameters across the different gestational stages. To this, gestation- and age-based reference values for haematological parameters are key to their clinical care and management.