Haematological data of African newborns and their mothers in Abidjan.

Abstract

The analysis of cord blood samples of 198 African newborns and their mothers confirmed the high prevalence of iron deficiency. A hypochromia and microcytosis of red cells was found in 40% of the pregnant women at term. In the majority of newborns the haemoglobin concentration was below 16 g/100 ml. Hb S was found in 11%, Hb C in 9% and alpha-thalassaemia in 2% of the population examined. Haemoglobin, packed cell volume and mean cell volume of erythrocytes were lower than results of newborns from developed countries. Foetal sex had no influence on haematological variables.