DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2015.v03i10.006

Pages: 852-855

Pre-eclampsia is considered to be a state of deterioration of utero–placental perfusion and is associated with inadequate blood supply to the fetus, which can result in chronic hypoxia; as a result it enhances the production of NRBC in the fetus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of pre-eclampsia on the cord and maternal nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) count. The method was immediately after delivery, 1 mL of maternal venous blood and 1 mL of cord blood from 120 pre-eclamptic and 120 healthy pregnant women were collected and the number of NRBC per 100 leukocytes in maternal and cord blood was counted and compared between the two groups. Any correlation of the NRBC count in maternal and umbilical cord blood with severity of pre-eclampsia was also evaluated. In results the mean Maternal NRBCs/100 WBCs was 5.85 ± 4.022 in Group-A as compared to 2.33 ± 2.571 in Group- which was statistically significant. The mean cord blood NRBCs in Group-A was 16.19 ± 7.052 and mean cord blood NRBCs in Group-B was 5.41 ± 3.91. The difference was statistically significant. The mean cord blood NRBCs and mean maternal NRBCs in mothers with severe pre-eclampsia was significantly higher as compared to women in mild pre-eclampsia. In conclusion fetal response to utero–placental insufficiency in pre-eclampsia leads to elevated NRBC in the cord blood. The positive correlation between maternal and cord blood NRBC counts in pre-eclamptic patients indicates that maybe the hypo perfused placenta plays a role in the correlated alteration of the maternal and fetal NRBC count.