Roland Axt, Kubilay Ertan, Jochen Hendrik, Marc Wrobel, Dieter Mink, Werner Schmidt
Nucleated red blood cells in cord blood of singleton term and post-term neonates
Objective: This study aims to determine if nucleated
red blood cells are elevated in pregnancies that continue
beyond 289 days of gestation.
Study design: Cord blood was prospectively collected
from term and post-term singleton gestations from August
1 to December 31, 1998. Umbilical artery nucleated
red blood cells were counted per 100 white blood
cells. The comparison was made between pregnancies
ending at 261–289 days (37.1–41.2 weeks) of gestation
and those ending after 289 days (?41.3 weeks) of
gestation.
Results: Cord blood from 304 cases was obtained and
evaluated for nucleated red blood cells per 100 white
blood cells. The mean value of nucleated red blood cells per 100 white blood cells in the post-term neonate
group was significantly higher than in the term
neonate group (median 6.5, range 0–24 vs. median
3.7, range 0–14; p < 0.05). The values did not vary
by fetal presentation, mode or duration of delivery.
Neonatal outcome was comparable between both study
groups.
Conclusion: In post-term gestation after 289 days nucleated
red blood cells in cord blood are significantly
increased. These results point towards a different fetal
oxygenation in post-term pregnancies beyond 289 days
of gestation and support the current practice of very
close testing of fetal well-being under those circumstances.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 27, 11/1999
Pages: 376 - 381
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