Authors : M. Eze Evelyn, F.I. Buseri, C.K. Wachukwu and I.N. Nnatuanya
Abstract: The effect of hepatitis B infection on the haematological parameters of 3,465 apparently healthy pregnant women attending antenatal clinic was studied over a period of 3 years in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Fifty-seven were HBsAg positive (test) while the remaining 3,408 were HBsAg negative (control) representing a prevalence rate of 1.6%. The mean±SD obtained for Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin concentration (Hb conc.), platelets, total White Blood Cell count (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes for hepatitis B positive pregnant women (test) were 22.77±2.86%, 7.26±0.56 g dL-1, 144.23±3.60 x109 L-1, 8.08±0.89x109 L-1, 78.88±2.11%, 16.68±1.87%, 1.49±0.71%, 0.04±0.19% and 2.91±1.27% in the same order. The corresponding values for hepatitis B negative pregnant women (control) were 31.96±2.78%, 10.36±0.76 g L-1, 159.84±20.70x109 L-1, 6.73±1.47x109 L-1, 69.12±3.33%, 24.02±4.01%, 2.96±1.50%, 0.04±0.20% and 3.84±1.60%. The differences between the PCV, Hb conc, platelets, TWBC, lymphocyte, eosinophil and monocyte counts of test were statistically significant from that of the control (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the neutrophil and basophil counts of the test and control (p>0.05). There was no significant correlation (R<0.50, p>0.01) between the haematological parameters and maternal age, trimester and gravidity in the control subjects. There was however, a strong positive correlation between gravidity and PCV (R = 0.54, p<0.0.01) and haemoglobin concentration (R = 0.61, p<0.01) in the test.
M. Eze Evelyn, F.I. Buseri, C.K. Wachukwu and I.N. Nnatuanya, 2009. Effects of Hepatitis B Infection on Haemtological Parameters in Pregnancy in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 3: 194-197.