A 27-year-old G1P0 at 28 weeks gestation arrives at the obstetric clinic for a scheduled prenatal visit. She works as a teacher and mentions mild fatigue by the late afternoon, but otherwise feels healthy. She is fully compliant with her daily prenatal vitamin. Vital signs demonstrate a blood pressure of 112/68 mm Hg and a heart rate of 84/min. Physical examination confirms a fundal height of 28 cm, and the fetal heart rate is reassuring at 150/min. A routine complete blood count is obtained and shows the following results:
Hemoglobin: 10.8 g/dL
Hematocrit: 33%
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): 88 fL
Platelet count: 215,000/mm³
Which of the following physiologic mechanisms best explains this patient's hematologic profile?
- Disproportionate increase in plasma volume relative to red blood cell massCevap
- BDepletion of maternal iron stores secondary to fetal utilization
- CDecreased maternal erythropoietin production by the kidneys
- DInadequate dietary folate intake exceeding maternal reserves
- EIncreased destruction of erythrocytes in the placental bed
Cevap
The hematologic profile is a result of physiologic hemodilution, driven by a disproportionate increase in plasma volume compared to red blood cell mass.
This patient's hemoglobin of 10.8 g/dL and normal mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at 28 weeks gestation represent normal physiologic dilutional anemia. During an uncomplicated pregnancy, maternal plasma volume expands by approximately 40-50% to accommodate fetal demands and protect against expected peripartum blood loss. Simultaneously, red blood cell (RBC) mass increases by only about 20-30%. Because the expansion in plasma volume is substantially larger than the increase in RBC mass, the hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration decrease relative to the non-pregnant state. A hemoglobin level of greater than 10.5 g/dL is considered normal in the second trimester, and > 11.0 g/dL is normal in the first and third trimesters. No further workup or treatment beyond routine prenatal care is indicated.
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Physiologic Anemia of Pregnancy