Assessment of hematological parameters of neonatal cord blood in anemic and non-anemic mothers

Anemia during pregnancy is associated with high rate of mortality and morbidity among mothers and neonates. The aim of this study was to evaluate hematological parameters of cord blood of neonates born to anemic and non-anemic mothers. This is a cross-sectional comparative study which was carried out in Khartoum state maternity hospitals, 208 anemic pregnant women of hemoglobin levels less than 11.0gm/dl and 292 non anemic pregnant women of hemoglobin levels above 11.0gm/dl were enrolled. Cord blood samples were collected from umbilical cord and drained into K2EDTA containers to estimate complete blood counts using hematological analyzer Sysmex 21, manual reticulocytes count was performed, and venous K2EDTA blood samples were collected from each mother to estimate hemoglobin level. Obtained data were compared by SPSS program version 11.5 using student t-test, and significant level considered as ? 0.05. The study revealed that high significant levels of reticulocyte counts (P ? 0.05) in cord blood of neonates born to anemic mothers when compared to non-anemic. In other parameters no significant result was recognized. We conclude that anemia during pregnancy has significant effect on reticulocyte counts in neonates been born to anemic mothers in comparison with those were born to non-anemic.