Plasma volume changes in Indian women with normal pregnancy
Rajalakshmi, K.; Raman, L.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 82: 521-527
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 3833703 Document Number: 265325
Plasma volume was determined in 145 Indian women belonging to the poor socioeconomic group, in different trimesters of pregnancy. Plasma volume during pregnancy showed a 65 per cent increase over the volume in non-pregnant women. Increase in red cell volume was also considerably higher in these women than the values reported for Western women. A close correlation was seen between plasma volume increase and birth weight of the infant. It would appear that Indian women try to compensate for adequate placental perfusion by greater increase in plasma volume. Failure of this adaptation mechanism possibly is responsible for the high incidence of intra-uterine growth retardation seen in this population.