Evaluation of Some Hemostatic Changes in Pregnant Women Attending FMC keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Background: The term "Haemostasis" has its origins in the Greek words "Haem," signifying blood, and "stasis," meaning a standstill. It refers to the process responsible for stopping bleeding, thereby preventing blood from escaping through damaged blood vessels.

Pregnancy brings about significant anatomical and physiological changes in the expectant mother's body, aimed at nurturing and accommodating the developing fetus. These changes commence after conception and impact every organ system in the body.

During pregnancy, there is an elevation in several clotting factors, accompanied by a reduction in fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activities, notably protein S. While this adaptation serves to minimize bleeding risks during delivery, it simultaneously heightens the risk of thrombosis. Generally, a normal pregnancy is considered a state of increased blood clotting propensity, likely evolved as a protective mechanism to mitigate the potential hazards of acute hemorrhage during childbirth.

Aim: This study was aimed to determine the hemostatic changes in pregnant women attending FMC Keffi, Nasarawa state.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 75 confirmed pregnant women attending Federal Medical Center Keffi and 25 apparently non-pregnant controls. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thrombin time (APTT) were performed using manual methods and D-dimer was determined using the Finecare Wondfo method.

Results: The results show statistically nosignificant difference (p>0.05) in the mean of PT and APTT, International Normal Ratio (INR) of pregnant women and control subjects respectively. On the other hand, the results also show a significant difference (p< 0.05) in the means of d-dimer of pregnant women and control subjects respectively.

Conclusions: No significant statistical difference was observed, indicating pregnant women have normal PT, APTT, INR and increased D-dimer.