Red cell parameters of umbilical blood in neonates of different gestation time.

Red cell parameters of umbilical blood were evaluated on automatic analyzer Cobos Argos 5D JFF (Hoffman-La Roche) in 46 newborns of 26-42-week gestati on (a total of 16 periods), HE and RBC were found to gradually increase at the time of late fetogenesis. This growth was in linear relationship with g estation time while MCV and MCH changes correlated inversely, In hypoxic ne onates RBC was low whereas MCV and MCH were high. These alterations do not correspond to standard erythron reaction to hypoxia in postnatal period sug gesting erythropoietin-independent regulation of erythropoiesis in late phe togenesis. In umbilical blood of neonates born from iron-deficient mothers characteristic changes were registered: low MCV, decreasing Hb, Ht, MCH and elevating MCHC. There were normoblasts in the blood in amounts varying irr espective of gestation time and erythron condition in the newborn.