Haematological Changes in Human immunodeficiency Virus Infected Pregnant Women in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic is an undisputable reality of our time with socio-political implications and unrelenting morbidity and mortality profiles. The epidemic prevalence rate in Nigeria is very high. One hundred and fifty cases of women attending antenatal clinic in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were reviewed in a prospective study. These comprised 50 HIV seropositives who had just been diagnosed of having HIV infection but had not commenced anti-retroviral therapy (ARVT); 50 HIV seropositives who were on ARVT and 50 age- and parity-matched HIV seronegatives as controls. The parameters investigated were haematocrit volume (PCV), determined by Hawskley micro-capillary centrifugation, the haemoglobin (Hb) value by the cyanmethaemoglobin method, total leucocyte and platelet counts were done by standard methods. A differential leucocyte count was also done by the thin blood film method, stained with Leishman stain and examined microscopically. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was carried out using the Westergreen method. There was a reduction in haematocrit, Hb and total leucocyte levels, though not significant (P>0.05), while there was a significant increase (P