Comparison Between Red Cell Distribution Width And Red Cell Indices In Prediction Of Anaemia Among Pregnant Women

Abstract

BACKGROUND Anaemia in pregnant women is an important cause for maternal mortality and is also associated with poor perinatal outcomes. Early detection and prompt management of anaemia in pregnancy can lead to substantial decrease in maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Efficient diagnostic approaches are necessary in order to achieve the same. OBJECTIVES - To determine and compare the usefulness of red cell distribution width and red cell indices in prediction of anaemia in pregnant women - To determine the morphological types of anaemia in pregnancy MATERIALS AND METHODS Pregnant women attending the out-patient department or admitted to in-patient Obstetrics and Gynecology wards who were referred to the Pathology laboratory at BLDE University’s Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Vijayapur were included in this study. The study period was from 1st December 2014 to 30th June 2016. Two milliliters of venous blood were collected from the pregnant women in an ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid vacutainer. The various study parameters were obtained from an automated hematology analyzer. A peripheral smear was prepared from the same sample and visually examined for morphological typing of anaemia. All observations were recorded in the proforma sheet as per format. Statistical correlation between various parameters was performed and data analyzed.RESULTS There was statistically significant relationship with changes in values of red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration with change in level of haemoglobin. This correlation was more significant with change in value of red cell distribution width compared to red cell indices. The most common type of anaemia in pregnancy was microcytic hypochromic type, which is usually seen in iron deficiency anaemia. CONCLUSION Red cell distribution width and red cell indices are cost effective and simple methods which can be used as screening tools for iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy.