title: Intra-uterine starvation and fetal leucocyte count.
abstract: In 104 severely growth-retarded fetuses, the mean white blood cell count (WBC), as well as neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts were reduced. Furthermore, the severity of the leucopenia was significantly related to the degree of fetal 'smallness' and anaemia. These findings suggest that leucopenia observed in growth-retarded neonates may be a consequence of intra-uterine starvation due to deficiency of haematinics.
authors.affiliation: Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School King's College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Snijders
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes; D009000:Monocytes; D009504:Neutrophils; D011247:Pregnancy