Effects of Antibiotics on Haemostatic Parameters during Pregnancy

An estimated 50,000 Nigerian women die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, accounting for 10% of global estimates of pregnancy maternal death with about 2% resulting from drug induction. This cross-sectional study sets out to evaluate the Prothrombin time test (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time test (aPTT) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and Platelet count (PC) of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Oredo Health Centre in Benin City, Edo State. A total number of 130 subjects comprising 100 pregnant women and 30 non-pregnant women were recruited for the study. Prothrombin time (PT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), Platelet count and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) were studied using standard manual methods. The prothrombin time (sec) of the pregnant women 1st trimester (19.12±0.77b), 2nd trimester (19.90±1.02 b) and 3rd trimester (19.66±0.56 b), activated partial thromboplastin time (sec) 1st trimester (44.02±1.17 b), 2nd trimester (47.72±1.47 b) and 3rd trimester (45.88±1.10b), Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/hr) 1st trimester (24.37±3.04 a), 2nd trimester (37.83±4.53 a) and 3rd trimester (43.25±5.24 a) and platelet count (X109/L) 1st trimester (248.29±23.18a), 2nd trimester (236.33±13.84 b) and 3rd trimester (239.10±16.07 a) were significantly higher than the prothrombin time (sec) 16.48±0.81 a, activated partial thromboplastin time (sec) 36.53±1.42 a, ESR (mm/hr) 29.83±4.14 a and platelet count (X109/L) 201±9.54 an of the non-pregnant women (p<0.05). The ESR (mm/hr) of the 3rd trimester (43.25±5.24) was observed to be significantly higher than that of the 1st trimester (24.37±3.04) and 2nd trimester (37.83±4.53) (p<0.05). Our investigation showed that antibiotics in pregnancy have a deleterious effect on PT, ESR, APTT and PC studied. We recommend that pregnant women should be given due attention throughout the course and events of pregnancy to prevent or reduce the risk of thrombotic episodes and possible disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with resultant better maternity/child safety and health outcome and educated on the effects of antibiotics to pregnancy.