Changes In Plasma Proteins And Fibrinolytic Activity In Pregnant Women In Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Haemodilution and changes in various protein levels have been associated with pregnancy and in order to assess the fibrinolytic activity and changes in plasma proteins during pregnancy, 100 pregnant and 100 non – pregnant subjects (controls) of age range 18 40 years were studied. Standard manual techniques were used to estimate plasma fibrinogen concentration (PFC), euglobulin lysis time (ELT), total proteins and albumin. The values of PFC and ELT were 3.2±0.8g/l and 358.3±84.7 minutes respectively for pregnant women as against 2.3±1.2g/l and 270.5±170.6 minutes respectively for non-pregnant women and the differences were statistically significant at p 0.05) . The differences in the values of PFC, ELT, total proteins, albumin and globulin in pregnancy with regard to the three age groups (19 – 25 years, 26 – 32 years and 33 – 39 years) were not statistically significant (P> 0.05). In conclusion, fibrinolytic activity in pregnant women differ from non – pregnant subjects due to significant increase in PFC and prolonged ELT which confirms hyperfibrinogenaemia and reduced fibrinolytic activity in this condition which therefore makes it necessary to monitor PFC and ELT in pregnancy since they are prone to thrombosis and haemorrhage.