Abstract

ARAOZ, Ruben et al. HEMATOLOGICAL VALUES IN PREGNANT WOMEN LIVING AT 3600 HIGH ALTITUDE. Rev. Méd. La Paz [online]. 2018, vol.24, n.1, pp.27-33. ISSN 1726-8958.

Pregnancy is a physiological process that involves changes in organs and systems, and adaptation to high altitude also involves physiological, biochemical and genetic changes. This has caused changes in the hematological values. Pregnant women at sea level have a hemoglobin of 10 to 11 g/dl and a difference of 1,8g/dl between pregnant and non-pregnant women. These values in pregnant women living at 3600 masl need to be determined. Objective To determine hematological values of pregnant women living at 3600 masl. Material and methods It was collected peripheral venous blood samples in tubes vacutainer containing EDTA from 190 non-pregnant women and 300 pregnant women from Hospital de la Mujer in La Paz, Bolivia. Studies were carried out through Micro 60 automatic counter (Horiba ABX Diagnostic, France) and corroborated by manual techniques. T-student test was used to compare study groups and value of p <0.05 with 95% CI was used. Results Pregnant women residing at 3600 masl showed hemoglobin levels of 13,6 ± 2,3 g/dl, percentage of hematocrit 40,9 ±6,4% and reticulocytes 1,9 ± 0.7%. The difference of hemoglobin between pregnant and non-pregnant women was 2,6 g/dl. Conclusions Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels in pregnant women residing at 3600 masl are decreased. The decreased concentration of hemoglobin is higher compared to other altitudes. Pregnant women hematological values at high altitude are statistically different compared to sea level, probably due to physiological and genetic adaptation to high altitude.

Keywords : Pregnancy; high altitude; hemoglobin; hematocrit.

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