Fetal Hemoglobin Synthesis in Fraternal and Identical Twins

Hematologic Standards for Healthy Newborn Thoroughbred Foals

“…Thus, in utero, the percentage of hemoglobin in the fetus blood is only slightly higher than that of the post-natal period [1,24,25,28] as a response to the anoxic conditions of fetal life [24,25]. After birth, with the establishment of lung breathing, the foal no longer requires this high oxygen-carrying power and the excessive red cells are destroyed [28].…”