Failure to demonstrate postpartum functional iron deficiency using quantitative red blood cell analysis

Objective. The aim of this prospective study was to assess erythropoiesis a nd test for functional iron deficiency in the postpartum period using quant itative red blood cell analysis. Study design. Parameters were determined on admission for delivery and post partum from 82 obstetric patients at Zurich University Hospital: full blood count, hypochromic and microcytic red cells, reticulocyte count (including subsets), reticulocyte mean corpuscular volume, reticulocyte mean hemoglob in content and reticulocyte mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Results. Microcytic cells increased from 0.9% prepartum to 1.4% on day 42 p ostpartum; hypochromic cells decreased from 4.3 to 1.9%; reticulocyte mean corpuscular volume decreased from 134 to 125 fl; reticulocyte mean hemoglob in content was unchanged. Conclusion. To our knowledge, this is the first medium scale application of quantitative red blood cell analysis to normal pre- and postpartum women. Our data show no evidence of functional iron deficiency or increased erythr opoiesis in the postpartum period. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A U. rights reserved.