Correlation between maternal and cord blood haematocrit among term singleton deliveries at a tertiary hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa as it contributes significantly to maternal and neonatal morbidity. Maternal haematocrit reflects the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells, and its relationship with cord blood haematocrit provides insight into fetoplacental oxygen transfer. The study aims to determine the correlation between maternal and cord blood haematocrit and to identify predictors of neonatal anaemia among term singleton deliveries at a tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Nigeria. Ninety-five term pregnant women and their neonates were recruited consecutively. Maternal venous and umbilical cord blood samples were taken and analysed for haematocrit. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the relationship between maternal and cord blood haematocrit, while binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of neonatal anaemia. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: There was a significant positive correlation between maternal and cord blood haematocrit (ρ=0.299, p=0.003). Neonates of non-anaemic mothers had a higher median cord haematocrit [46.0 (44.8–48.0)%] than those of anaemic mothers [43.0 (39.5–47.5)%] (p=0.009). Logistic regression identified maternal anaemia as the only independent predictor of neonatal anaemia (AOR=0.19, 95% CI=0.07–0.50, p=0.001). Conclusion: Maternal haematocrit showed a significant positive correlation with cord blood haematocrit, confirming maternal anaemia as a key determinant of neonatal anaemia among term singleton deliveries.