Assessment of some nutritional blood parameters during pregnancy at southern Abobo hospital (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

During pregnancy, physiological adjustments that may result in increased demand for energy and maternal food occur to support fetal development. In order to evaluate the effect of these metabolic variations on nutritional blood biomarkers, this study was undertaken on pregnant women at different stages of pregnancy. Thus, 150 pregnant women were recruited, by reason of 50 women per trimester of pregnancy, based on our inclusion and non-inclusion criteria. The average age of women was 26.4±0.5 years ranging from 18 to 35 years of age. From each fasted woman, blood was taken at the crease of the elbow in the morning. This blood was collected in tubes containing anticoagulant EDTA, anticoagulant sodium fluoride + potassium oxalate and tubes without anticoagulant for hematological and biochemical parameters determination. Hematological findings showed four types of anemia (hypochromic normocytic anemia, hypochromic microcytic anemia, normochromic normocytic anemia and normochromic microcytic anemia). Hypochromic microcytic anemia was highest (20%), in women being in their first trimester of pregnancy. Then, the latter type of anemia and hypochromic normocytic anemia (16%) simultaneously shared this preponderance of anemia, in the group of women being in their second trimester of pregnancy. Finally, among women in the third trimester of pregnancy, the prevalence of normochromic normocytic anemia (30%) was highest. At the biochemical level, a non-significant increase in HDL hypercholesterolemia, as well as a non-significant decrease in LDL cholesterol and sodium were noted. In addition, conjugated bilirubin was decreased significantly in the third trimester. In contrast, significant growth in hyperkalemia was noted in the third trimester. In addition, significant decreasing mean of conjugated bilirubin and increasing potassium were noted. Finally, a very highly significant increase in chlorine in the third term was recorded. The study revealed different types of more acute anemias in women being in their last term of pregnancy, and variations in serum potassium, chloride and bilirubin.