Why Can’t the Health of Pregnant Women Be Assessed Based on Test Scores?
Why doesn't Ornament assess the health status of pregnant women on a general basis or even create a separate feature for this purpose? The answer is simple—the blood and urine values of expectant mothers differ significantly from those of non-pregnant women. These reference biomarkers—which normally would be considered a deviation and a reason for a serious examination—are actually normal for pregnant women!
Dr. Marina
Head gynecological department
During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes serious changes. These changes affect all organs and systems, including the results of lab tests. This is absolutely normal and in most cases does not require any treatment. Here are the most striking examples.
Decrease in hemoglobin: During pregnancy, a woman's body increases the volume of circulating blood, which causes the blood to liquefy, and the proportion of hemoglobin in the total volume decreases. Therefore, a normal lower limit of hemoglobin during pregnancy is quite different from that for a non-pregnant woman.
Pregnant women
- Up to week 12 — 116–139 g/l
- Up to week 27 — 97–148 g/l
- Up to week 42 — 95–150 g/l
Non-pregnant woman -117–155 g/l
Hypoproteinemia: This is a decrease in the amount of total blood protein. Before delivery, it can be 15 percent lower than the standard values.
Hypoalbuminemia: Changes in the ratio "albumin/globulin": it is usually 1.3–1.32, and in pregnancy decreases to values of 0.85–0.84. Albumin is a building material for new life.
Blood glucose levels drop: This happens for the same reason as a decrease in albumin levels: a growing baby needs a lot of energy, which is supplied by glucose. Glucose levels of more than 5 mmol/l at any gestational age are a reason for serious follow-up examinations, as they may be a marker of gestational diabetes mellitus.
Increased blood clotting: This is how the body prepares for possible blood loss during childbirth. Therefore, the blood parameters responsible for blood clotting change.
Alkaline phosphatase levels: This indicates the condition of the lymphatic system, bones, and liver. In an expectant mother, it increases significantly to almost threefold. For a normal person, such a level is a sign of serious illness. Pregnant women should worry only when the level of this biomarker is decreased.
It is important to remember that none of the indicators of the blood test of a pregnant woman should change drastically. All changes should occur gradually and should be checked against both the acceptable limits for your trimester and the previous readings.
05 April 2021