Puerperal haematological indices in the Nigerian.

Haematological indices were studied longitudinally in 84 healthy pregnant women at term and on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 42 in the puerperium. Haemoglobin and haematocrit increased on day 1 after delivery, reduced on days 3 and 5 then started rising such that by day 42, the normal haemoglobin in African non-pregnant women was achieved. Leucocyte and neutrophil count increased significantly on day 1 but started falling thereafter and by day 5 the value had returned to normal. The lymphocyte, eosinophil and monocyte count did not show significant variation within the period of study. The platelet count in the primipara showed significant change on days 3 and 5. The variations in haemoglobin, haematocrit, leucocyte and platelet count in the puerperium were more marked in the primipara than the multipara and grandmultipara.