Haematological Parameters and Oxidative Stress Changes in Apparently Healthy Pregnant Women in Bori, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy is associated with alterations in haematological and oxidative stress parameters as physiological adjustments are made to accommodate the increasing demand from the fetus and the maintenance of maternal wellbeing. No study has evaluated the interaction between these parameters in normal pregnancy. Method: In this cross-sectional case-controlled study, baseline values for haematological and oxidative stress changes were evaluated in pregnant women attending an ante-natal clinic at selected private clinics in Bori. A total of 100 subjects (80 pregnant women and 20 non-pregnant women) were recruited for the study. Haematological and oxidative stress parameters were determined following standard protocols. Results: The result of the study shows a significant increase in the mean values of white blood cells, neutrophils, monocytes and catalase among the pregnant women compared to non-pregnant control while the mean value of the eosinophils was found to decrease among the pregnant women compared to the non-pregnant control (p<0.05). Neutrophils and catalase were significantly higher in the third trimester when compared with the non-pregnant control (p<0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between catalase and mean cell volume; superoxide dismutase significantly correlated negatively with haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cell and neutrophil counts. Glutathione significantly correlated negatively with neutrophils and monocytes while malondialdehyde significantly correlated with mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cell, monocytes and eosinophil and basophile counts. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that there may be an association between oxidative stress and haematological parameters among pregnant women.