Impact of Smoking in Pregnancy on Red Blood Cell Count and Indexes

Aim: Smoking has various effects on hematological parameters. In early pregnancy hematocrit levels decrease due to dilution of total blood volume. By the end of pregnancy hematopoietic facilitates by induced bone marrow activity. In this study, evaluation of the impact of smoking in pregnancy on red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW). Methods: In this retrospective descriptive study, the data archive of all pregnant aged between 18-40 years who were monitored in Obstetric and Gynecology Clinics of Mevlana University Medical Faculty from December 2014 to March 2016. Results of complete blood count analysis in third trimester were evaluated among the repeated test results in routine follow up. Results: Among 278 pregnant, 52 were smokers, HCT value significantly lower in smoker pregnant (p=0.042). RBC, HGB, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW values were similar in smoker and non-smoker pregnant (p>0.05). No significant correlation existed between RBC and erythrocyte indexes and demographic characteristics of pregnant. Conclusion: HCT levels decrease in smoker pregnant. The impact of smoking in pregnancy can be further evaluated in researchers in which information about the time and amount of smoking and passive exposure to smoking will be obtained.