Hematologic Values of Fetal Blood Obtained by Means of Cordocentesis

Abstract

Fetal blood values were evaluated from 541 cordocenteses. Simple regressions were used to find a correlation between blood values and gestational age. We found a linear increase in hemoglobin concentration and heamtocrit throughout gestation; a linear decrease of the mean corpuscular volume with the gestation was evidenced as a regular decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Lastly, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was constant during the gestation; a linear increase of the platelet count and the nucleated cells was also evidenced. We suggest that each fetal medicine unit should have its own reference ranges. It will permit to accurately diagnose fetal infection, fetal anemia, or any fetal disease where alterations of hematopoiesis have been described.

The erythrocyte indices of neonates, defined using data from over 12 000 patients in a multihospital health care system

“…5,11 However, this difference is not sufficient to explain the higher MCV of the fetus, because the nonreticulocyte erythrocytes of a fetus are also considerably larger than those of adults. 12 In adults, an MCV and MCH elevated to the range observed in the normal midtrimester fetus (122 fl and 40 pg) can suggest folate or vitamin B 12 deficiency, or abnormal metabolism of folate or B 12 . 13 However, the high MCV and MCH of the fetus are not otherwise analogous to folate or B 12 deficiency, in that the normal fetus has no other aspects of megaloblastic anemia, and is not anemic but is relatively polycythemic by adult standards.…”

Haemoglobin level, proportion of haemoglobin Bart's and haemoglobin Portland in fetuses affected by homozygous α0‐thalassemia from 12 to 40 weeks' gestation

“…Although haematological parameters of normal fetuses have been published (Millar et al , 1985; Forestier et al , 1986; Nicolaides et al , 1989; Boulota et al , 1993), there is little data on affected fetuses in various gestations. It is thought that the affected fetuses usually suffer from severe anaemia from 8 weeks' gestation, but the Hb level can vary from 3 to 10 g/dL (Higgs, 1993; Bernini and Harteveld, 1998).…”

Comparison of red blood cell hematology among normal, α‐thalassemia‐1 trait, and hemoglobin Bart's fetuses at mid‐pregnancy

“…Although we have extensive experience in prenatal diagnosis of Hb Bart's disease, little is known about red blood cell indices of these fetuses, despite the fact that these basic data may be helpful in differentiating the affected fetuses among couples at risk. Even though some studies about hematology of normal fetuses at midpregnancy have been published [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] to date, no study on hematology of red blood cell series in various aspects of athalassemia-1 fetuses at mid-pregnancy period has been reported. The aim of this study is to determine the normal reference range of the red blood cell indices as well as to compare red blood cell indices among normal, a-thalassemia-1 trait, and Hb Bart's fetuses at mid-pregnancy.…”