Increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility in pregnancy

Margret S. Magid, Martin Perlin, Eugene L. Gottfried

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

An unexpected increase in erythrocyte osmotic fragility during pregnancy in two healthy women prompted a study of the effects of pregnancy on osmotic fragility. The incubated glycerol lysis time, a rapid, sensitive measure of osmotic fragility, was determined in 100 pregnant women and 50 nonpregnant control subjects. Twenty-two of the pregnant women (22%) showed abnormal results when compared to normal nonpregnant women (p < 0.0005). Increased erythrocyte fragility was observed primarily in the last trimester of pregnancy. Twenty-one of 65 women in the last trimester (32.3%) had abnormal incubated glycerol lysis time values, but only one of 34 (2.9%) showed increased fragility during early pregnancy. Physiologic shifts in erythrocyte osmotic fragility may create a problem in the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)910-914
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume144
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Dec 1982
Externally publishedYes

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