Patterns of Routine Antenatal Laboratory Test Results at Booking in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the patterns of routine antenatal care laboratory test results at booking in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu, and to review the literature on the subject. Methods: The registers for the results of routine laboratory tests at booking in ESUTH, Enugu were reviewed from April 1, 2014 to August 31, 2016. Data on age, blood group, rhesus status, hemoglobin genotype, packed cell volume; human immunodeficiency virus screening (HIV), venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) tests at booking were collected and analyzed with Excel 2007 software. The results were presented in tables, percentages and graphs. Results: A total of 5293 mothers were tested; 2706 (51.12%) and 2500 (47.23%) of them were of ages <30 and 30-40 years respectively (Table 1). Table 2 showed the commonest blood group was ‘O’ 3062(57.85%). Most of the mothers 4811(90.89%) were Rhesus D positive while 482(9.11%) of them were negative. Hemoglobin genotype results were: AA 4066(76.82%), AS 1217(22.99%), and SS 8(0.15%). About 3819(72.15%) had packed cell volume of 31% and above. Table 3 revealed 232(4.83%) women tested positive to HIV, but 17(0.32%) only were new cases. Twenty eight (0.53%) women were reactive to VDRL while 166(3.14%) tested positive to HBsAg test. Many women 5061(95.62%) and 5127(96.86%) tested negative to HIV and HBsAg tests respectively. Conclusion: Most women are young (<40 years), have blood group O rhesus D positive, hemoglobin AA genotype, and are not anemic at booking. Many women are non-reactive to VDRL, HIV and HBsAg tests; and are vulnerable to infections. The marked reductions on SS genotype, VDRL and HIV new cases in this study have justified the critical preventive role of routine ANC laboratory tests in our current obstetric practice and the need for the continuation of the practice.