[Cord blood reticulocytes and reticulocyte subtypes in normal and complicated pregnancy]

Reticulocyte analysis using flow cytometry increases the precision of reticulocyte enumeration and can evaluate the maturation of reticulocytes. Reticulocytes count and their subtypes may reflect function of hematopoesis, especially during hypoxia. This study was aimed to establish reticulocyte count and reticulocyte maturation profile in cord blood during normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by chronic intrauterine hypoxia. For this purpose we analysed 233 cord blood specimens derived from uneventful pregnancy and 58 cord blood specimens from complicated pregnancy. The gestational age ranged from 26 to 42 weeks. The following measurements were obtained (mean +/- standard deviation): reticulocyte absolute count - 268 +/- 63 10(9)/l, reticulocyte percentage - 6.4 +/- 1.5; high fluorescence reticulocyte HFR - 11.3 +/- 3.8%; medium reticulocyte fraction MFR - 18.1 +/- 4.7%; low reticulocyte fraction LFR - 70.7 +/- 7%; immature reticulocyte fraction IFR - 29.3 +/- 7%. The percentage values of reticulocytes decreased in cord blood according to gestational age increase, but maturation subpopulations did not change significantly. Reticulocyte fractions in normal pregnancy were different compared to complicated pregnancy.