Study of Haemoglobin, Iron and Ferritin Levels in Preterm Delivery

Abstract

Introduction: Preterm birth (PTB) is a major determinant of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Preterm babies are prone to serious illness or death during the neonatal period. PTB is one of the unresolved problems in clinical obstetrics and one of the greatest threats to the developing fetus, there is need to determine predictive biomarker for preterm delivery. Therefore present study aimed to assess serum levels of haemoglobin, iron and Ferittin in preterm and full-term delivery
 Materials & Methods: The present study includes total 80 subjects that comprise forty women presenting with preterm onset of labor followed by delivery and forty women who delivered at term served as controls. Blood Samples from the patients were obtained for haemoglobin, iron and ferritin estimation, when patient was in labor. Serum Iron was estimated by coral clinical kit method. Serum ferritin was performed by Electrochemiluminescence method. Haemoglobin levels were measured by automated haematology analyser.
 Results: Serum ferritin levels were significantly increased (P<0.001) in preterm delivery as compared to full term delivery. Haemoglobin levels are significantly decreased in preterm delivery (p<0.001) as compared to full term delivery. Serum iron levels were non significantly increased in preterm delivery as compare to the full-term delivery. (P ≤0.05).
 Conclusion: Our study showed that low levels of Haemoglobin and elevated ferritin levels may be associated with preterm delivery in asymptomatic pregnant women. Though ferritin is an acute phase reactant is elevated in women predisposed to preterm delivery.
 Keywords: HAEMOGLOBIN, IRON, FERRITIN, PTB, CVF, BMI