The physiological macrocytosis of pregnancy.
Sixty-four healthy women were followed during normal pregnancies in which they took supplements of iron or iron+folate or an inactive placebo. The red cell size increased in those patients receiving iron alone or iron+folate. The group on the inactive placebo who received no supplemental iron had red cells of constant size and a falling serum iron. Nineteen women not included in the trial developed macrocytosis during pregnancy:marrow samples from these showed normoblastic erythropoiesis in 18 and minor megaloblastic changes in one. Macrocytosis developing during pregnancy is a physiological change in the majority of cases.
D000328:Adult; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004913:Erythrocytes, Abnormal / Q000502:physiology*; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy
D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron