[Serum erythropoietin levels in newborn infants at term]

There are many differences between fetal and adult erythropoiesis, but in both cases erythropoietin (EPO) is the critical controlling haemopoiesis. EPO can be measured in fetal blood by the 16th gestational week, and its levels show a gradual rise to term in parallel with the rise in haemoglobin levels. The aim of this study was to determine EPO levels in normal newborns and correlate them with the delivery, maternal EPO and pregnancy complications.

Serum levels of EPO were measured in 71 postpartum women and their respective newborns. There were no prematures. We also determine mother and child haemoglobin. Three groups of term pregnancies were compared: those delivered vaginally with and without vacuum and those delivered by cesarean section. We also investigate the presence of pregnancy complications.

The mean serum EPO in the mother group was 20.7 +/- 18.3 mU/mL (2-80) with no differences from that observed in the newborn group, 19.3 +/- 17.5 mU/mL (2.5-80). There were no differences between the form of delivery. Mothers show higher levels of EPO than the normal population (p < 0.001).

We obtained normal EPO levels for mothers and newborns for our area, similarly to the previously described ones.