EFFECTS OF MATERNAL HAEMOGLOBIN AND SERUM FERRITIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PREGNANCY ON SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE NEWBORN IN BENIN CITY

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of maternal haemoglobin
and ferritin concentration in pregnancy on some haematological parameters of the
newborn at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City.
Eighty pregnant women were recruited. They were bled at term. Their
haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were determined. The corresponding Cord
haematological parameters with serum ferritin were also determined at birth.
Information was obtained on social- demographic characteristics of the subjects
with the aid of questionnaire after they have signed the informed consent form.
Maternal obstetric indices viz- parity and last confinement were also documented
.The subjects were subdivided into various age groups-20-24, 25-29,30-34,35-39
and 40-44.
The mean maternal haemoglobin level was 11.71±1.3 g/dl. Seven (8.75%) of
the eighty women studied were found to be anaemic (i.e. haemoglobin levels less
10g/dl). The mean serum ferritin level of the anaemic women (168.48± 105.83 g
/L) was paradoxically higher than that of the non-anaemic women. (46.15± 34.07
g /L) .The Mean maternal serum ferritin level (MMSFL) was found to decrease
with increasing maternal age though this did not reach a significant level. F=0.632
and P = 0.641.Likewise MMSFL falls with increasing maternal parity but did not
reach a significant level. F=0.086,p=0.986.The closer the period of last
confinement to the time of study, the lower the MMSFL, although this relationship
did not also reach a significant level. However there was a significant difference
between MMSFL of mothers` age group 20-24(61.71±27.65g /L) when compared
10
with that of mothers’ age group 35-39(35.51±14.5g /L)(t = 2.8, p = 0.009) and
mothers’ age group 40-44(29.33±10.81g /L) (t =3.1, p =0.0085). The ferritin levels
of the mothers correlated positively with the haemoglobin concentration and red
blood cell counts of their babies(r = 0.295, p = 0.0123 and r = 0.226, p = 0.044
respectively). Other cord haematological parameters (WBC and platelets) did not
correlate significantly with the maternal ferritin. Although maternal haemoglobin
correlated negatively with Cord ferritin (r = -0.284, p = 0.011) it did not correlate
with Cord haemoglobin and the other Cord parameters studied (WBC, RBC and
platelets).
It was concluded that increasing maternal age affects maternal ferritin and
that maternal anaemia may not be a predictor of fetal haemoglobin.