Leucocyte changes in normal pregnancy in maiduguri north eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Medline search revealed paucity of data with respect to the leucocyte changes in normal pregnancy in Maiduguri. Objectives: to determine the normal range of leucocyte count in pregnancy and the effect of parity on leucocyte counts. Method a cross sectional study carried out at the university of Maiduguri teaching hospital (UMTH) Maiduguri between April –October 2005. The subjects were pregnant women at different gestation age recruited from the antenatal clinic at booking. The control groups were women from the family planning clinic who had weaned their babies and not on hormonal contraceptives, blood cell count and differential. Result: the mean count for the white blood cell (WBC) was higher in pregnancy. The values for total leucocyte count (TLC) were 7.9±2, 05, 8.33±1.74. 8.74±1.87 in the 1, 2 and 3 trimesters were neutrophils 2.98, 2.98 and 3.9 lymphocytes 2.95 3.66 and 3.86 cosinophils 0.72, 0.84 and 0.92 and monocytes 0.84 and monocytes 0.72, 0.84 and 0.92 and monocytes 0.72 0.84 and 0.92 and monocytes 0.72, 0.84 and 0.88 respective. The values for the non-payment controls were TLC 7.82±.11, neutrophils 1.95, lymphocytes 4.2, cosinophils 0.78 and monocytes 0.78. There were no statically differences between parity and TLC. Conclusion: there is a significant rise in total leucocyte count with increasing gestation age, but parity has no effect on leucocyte count.