1Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Basaveshwar Medical College, Chitradurga, Karnataka
2Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli, Karnataka
3Professor, Department of Physiology, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli, Karnataka
*Corresponding author: Tejashwini. V. Basarigidad, E-mail: teju23091987@gmail.com
Online published on 21 February, 2015.
Normal pregnancy involves many changes including alterations in hematologic parameters. These hematologic changes include changes in total leucocyte count and differential leucocyte count during pregnancy. Therefore in the present study, the changes in total leucocyte count and differential leucocyte counts are studied in the pregnant women in different trimesters of pregnancy.
30 pregnant women in the age group of 20 to 30 were enrolled for the study. Total leukocyte count and differential leucocyte count were measured on samples of blood obtained from each consenting participant during each of the three trimesters. The results were analyzed using SPSS for windows (Version 11) and the data expressed as means ± S.D. Means were compared using the student's paired t-test.
Total leucocyte count and differential leucocyte count were compared with each other between trimesters and none of the values were found to be statistically significant. (p>0.05)
The total leucocyte count rises progressively during pregnancy. The increased total leucocyte count in third trimester may be caused by the increased level of estrogen and cortisol hormone. The increase in leucocyte count is largely due to increase in circulating segmented neutrophils. In labor the leucocyte count is even more and count is highly correlated with labor progression as determined by cervical dilatation. One more cause may be reappearance of leucocytes previously shunted out of active circulation.
Total leucocyte count, Differential count, Pregnancy
