Hematological Profile and Prevalence of Bloodborne Viruses Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Military Hospital in Lagos, Southwest of Nigeria

Abstract

Pregnancy outcome is determined by a host of factors, including the mother's hematological profile and the concurrent presence of blood-borne viral infections. This study aimed to determine the hematological profile and prevalence of blood-borne viruses among pregnant women who attended our facility's outpatient obstetrics department over four years. This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the clinical records of 499 pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic at the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, over a four-year period. Demographic information, full blood count parameters and results of screening for blood-borne viruses were collected into a predesigned proforma. The Hematological parameters and demographic variables were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0, values expressed in mean, frequency and percentages. Categorical variables were compared using chi-square test with statistical significance at p < 0.05. The results were presented in tables, pie and bar charts using percentages and mean ± standard deviation. The mean age of the study participants was 36±2.3 years, with the blood group O being the most prevalent (49.7%). Hematocrit was lowest in the third trimester 31.21±4.1%, p<0.001). Anemia was significantly associated with one parous experience (p=0.04), the presence of HIV infection (p=0.03) and the AS genotype (p=0.01). The prevalence of HIV infection (6.0%) was the highest of the three blood-borne viruses tested. The findings from this cohort study contribute more evidence toward the creation of standardized hematological reference values for pregnant women in Nigeria. Proper supplementation and implementation of routine screening for blood-borne viruses can lead to better pregnancy outcomes for Nigerian women.