This is an automatically translated article.
During the 9 months of pregnancy, pregnant women often undergo many changes in shape, body and mind. High white blood cell count during pregnancy is one of the hematologically related changes. Is high white blood cell count during pregnancy dangerous?
1. What are white blood cells? The importance of white blood cells
White blood cells are white blood cells in the body's immune system. White blood cells help fight and destroy foreign factors that are harmful to the body. In addition, they also appear in most organs and parts. On the other hand, determining exactly whether you are healthy or not depends on the degree of leukocytosis or leukopenia.
The general purpose of white blood cells is to strengthen the immune system. However, each white blood cell produced in the bone marrow has different functions.
Neutrophils (neutrophils): neutrophils are the most abundant and play an important role in avoiding bacterial or fungal infections. Monocytes (monocytes): This type of white blood cell helps to drain and absorb harmful substances from bacteria and eventually destroy them. Eosinophils (eosinophils): with the job of shielding the body, against parasites and allergic reactions during pregnancy. Basophils (basophils): This type of white blood cell usually makes up less than 1% of the total white blood cells. Helps regulate blood flow and increase cells. Boost the immune system to work stably when pregnant women are sick. Lymphocytes: with the task of creating antibodies against foreign cells and destroying them.
2. What is normal for pregnant women?
White blood cells function as part of the body's immune system. They help the human body from infection and disease. Normally, a person's white blood cell count ranges from 4,000 to 10,000 white blood cells/nm3. If the white blood cell count is > 8,000 leukocytes/ml, it's high white blood cell count and > 100,000 leukocytes/ml, the body may be suffering from another disease.
In pregnant women, the average white blood cell count is from 4,500 to 11,000/nm3. During pregnancy, the minimum amount to be maintained is 6,000/nm3. During the 3rd trimester, a range of 12,000 - 18,000/nm3 is safe.
In addition, during pregnancy, the white blood cell count may increase to be able to respond appropriately to the fetus. This case is absolutely nothing to worry about and does not require any emergency measures. However, if the white blood cell count is elevated during pregnancy accompanied by symptoms such as high blood pressure, fever, stress, weight loss, nosebleeds, etc. promptly examined and treated by a doctor.
3. Is high white blood cell count during pregnancy dangerous?
During pregnancy, urinalysis is extremely important. How does this help check the health status of the pregnant woman and the development of the fetus? In addition, the number of white blood cells in the urine also signals the risk of urinary tract infections in pregnant women. Is high white blood cell count during pregnancy dangerous?
Normally, in healthy pregnant women, a white blood cell count of less than 10 is normal. But if the white blood cell count exceeds the allowable threshold, it means you have an infection. At the same time, the higher the number of white blood cells in the urine, the more severe the infection.
Pregnancy poisoning entails many consequences for the health of mother and baby. Toxicosis during pregnancy will cause the mother to experience abnormal weight loss, dehydration and preeclampsia. If not detected early and with timely treatment, it will leave dangerous consequences such as high blood pressure, hemiplegia, nephritis, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth,...For the fetus. When poisoned, it will lead to poor growth in the baby, birth defects after birth and a weak immune system.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, high white blood cells can lead to premature birth. The baby is born with low growth and a weak immune system causing some birth defects.
4. Causes of high white blood cell count during pregnancy
Here are some risk factors for elevated white blood cell counts during pregnancy.
4.1. Infections All forms of body infection or fungal infection cause colds and urinary tract infections. This causes the white blood cell count to rise during pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women should be cautious to keep themselves safe. You can increase vitamin supplements, clean the intimate area, ... limit infection. Thereby, helping to prevent high white blood cells during pregnancy.
4.2.Inflammation When the body is inflamed or allergic reaction. The white blood cells will move to the area that needs help. Then it will grow there, making the body not have time to react. This causes the white blood cell count to rise as well.
4.3. Psychological stress Stress during pregnancy is mainly caused by emotional and physical causes. Prolonged stress often leads to higher-than-normal white blood cell counts. This helps to protect the body from negative influences. Therefore, you should limit stress by stopping negative thoughts, contributing to better control of white blood cells.
4.4. Abstinence to urinate often When you are pregnant, the uterine region puts pressure on the bladder area, especially in the last months of pregnancy, making you often feel the need to urinate or just coughing or laughing. urinary incontinence. This is very irritating. In addition, due to the characteristics of each person's working environment, many people tend to hold their urine. Holding urine for a long time makes the bladder area irritated and very susceptible to infection.
In addition to the 4 common causes mentioned above, the white blood cell count increases during pregnancy also due to a number of other causes such as:
Having certain cancers such as bladder cancer or kidney cancer. The use of pain relievers can also cause side effects such as increased white blood cells. Unreasonable lifestyle, unreasonable abstinence during pregnancy leads to lack of nutrients and sickle-shaped red blood cells. Hopefully, the information in the above article has helped you understand why high white blood cells during pregnancy are high and dangerous for pregnant women. To be able to minimize leukocytosis, you should maintain healthy living habits and supplement the necessary nutrients for the body. By adding protein, increase green vegetables and fruits. In addition, you should have regular antenatal check-ups as directed by your doctor, to have a healthy pregnancy.
To protect mother and baby's health comprehensively, Vinmec International General Hospital now has a package maternity service, with a team of highly qualified doctors, ultrasound machine system, and medical equipment. Modern equipment will promptly recognize abnormalities during pregnancy, help monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detect and timely intervene health problems.
In addition, at Vinmec, we also perform intensively Double Test or Triple Test tests to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test to diagnose preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; testing for parasites that are transmitted from mother to child, which seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth...
After birth, the baby will be cared for in a sterile room before being brought back back to mom. Pregnant women will rest in a high-class hospital room, designed according to international hotel standards, 1 mother and 1 room with full facilities and modern equipment. Mothers will be consulted by nutritionists on how to feed the baby before leaving the hospital. Postpartum follow-up with both mother and baby with leading Obstetricians and Pediatricians.
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
