Abstract

The present study assessed the haemostatic parameters in preeclampsia subjects in Aba, Abia state Nigeria. A total of sixty subjects between the ages of eighteen to forty – four years were used for this study. Thirty were preeclampsia subjects who were medically diagnosed while thirty were apparently healthy individuals who served as control subjects. Platelet count (PLC), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen were determined. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Probability value P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. There was lower mean SD in platelet count (235.17±32.99 ×109/L versus 260.27± 35.82 ×109/L for control), and fibrinogen levels (224.47±16.95 mg/dl versus 214.37 ± 14.63 mg/dl) in the preeclampsia subjects in comparison with their control values in this study. There was no significant difference between the prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time of the preeclampsia subjects and the control. The mean values of platelets count significantly decreased with increased pregnancy duration, 269.40±36.66 ×109/L, 222.70±11.93 ×109/L and 213.40±4.50 ×109/L for first, second, and third trimesters respectively. There was a significant decrease in the platelet count as the ages of the preeclampsia subjects increased (268.00±13.54, 233.94±24.49 and 203.57±17.30 ×109/L for 18-24 years, 25-34 years and 35-44 years respectively). Low levels of these haemostatic parameters can lead to ineffective hemostasis, inability to control hemorrhage, inhibited blood supply to vital organs and severe blood loss (haemorrhage) which can result to increased bleeding time, hemophilia, thrombocytopenia and may also lead to death.