Normal pregnancy is characterized by profound changes in almost every organ and system. In normal pregnancy, the physiological change in hemoglobin concentration [HGB] and platelet count during pregnancy are well known phenomena.
The hematological indices of an individual to a large extent reflect their general health.
Anemia is one of the most commonly encountered medical disorders during pregnancy. In developing countries it is a cause of serious concern as, besides many other adverse effects on the mother and the fetus it contributes significantly high maternal mortality.
Severe anemia is associated with poor outcome. The woman may have palpitation, tachycardia, breathlessness, increased cardiac output leading on to cardiac stress which can cause de-compensation and cardiac failure which may be fatal.
Adverse perinatal outcome in the form of pre-term and small-for-gestational-age babies and increased perinatal mortality rates have been observed in the neonates of anemic mothers.
The occurrence of leukemia during pregnancy is very rare with an estimated incidence of one per 100,000 pregnancies annually.
It has been estimated that during pregnancy most leukemias are acute: two thirds are myeloid (AML) and one third are lymphatic (ALL), it can affect pregnancy and the fetus. Intrauterine growth retardation has been reported in mothers not treated with chemotherapy. In addition, preterm labor, induced and spontaneous abortion as well as still birth are common in acute leukemia.
Thrombocytopenia is the second to anemia as the most common hematologic abnormality encountered during pregnancy. Incidental thrombocytopenia of pregnancy, usually referred to as gestational thrombocytopenia, accounts for 70% - 80% of cases.
Hypercoagulability in pregnancy is the propensity of pregnant women to develop thrombosis. However, when combined with an additional underlying hypercoagulable states, the risk of thrombosis or embolism may become substantial.