NM717 - PRENATAL LAB TESTING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED LATEST
UPDATE
When is a CBC ordered antenatally?
First prenatal visit and again at 28 weeks.
What is the reason the Hgb and hct are checked at 28 weeks?
Woman is the most hemodiluted and thus most likely to be anemic.
RBC indices:
- MCH
- MCHC
- MCV
- Hbg
- Hct
MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin):
The average amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin inside a red blood cell.
Macrocytic RBCs are large, so tend to have a higher MCH, while microcytic RBCs
would have a lower value.
MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration):
Calculation of the average concentration of hgb inside a red cell.
,Decreaed MCHC indicates hypochromia which is seen in conditions where the hgb is
abnormally diluted inside the red cells, such as iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia.
Increased MCHC values (hyperchromia) is seen in conditions where the hgb is
abnormally concentrated inside of cells, such as in burn patients.
MCV (mean corpuscular volume):
A measurement of the average size of RBCs.
MCV is elevated when RBCs are larger than normal (macrocytic), as in vitamin B12
deficiency (pernicious anemia).
A decreased MCV tells us that cells are smaller than normal (microcytic) as seen in iron
deficiency anemia or thalassemia.
Hgb (hemoglobin):
Measures the amount of oxygen-carrying protein (hemoglobin) in the blood.
Hct (hematocrit):
Measures the percentage of red blood cells in a given volume of whole blood.
Pregnancy induces marked hematologic changes. The maternal plasma volume
increases ______ on average, achieving a maximum level at approximately _____
weeks gestation.
45%.
32 weeks.
Peak hemodilution occurs at?
, 24 to 26 weeks.
Shortly after the plasma volume begins to rise early in pregnancy,
____________________ accelerates, producing an increase in the number of
RBCs.
Erythropoiesis.
The increased plasma volume, along with this increase in red blood cell mass
ultimately expands the maternal blood volume by as much as?
35 to 40%.
'Physiologic anemia' describes the:
Proportionately greater increase in plasma volume as compared to the rise in RBCs.
Both ________ and ________ anemias can occur during pregnancy.
Acquired and hereditary.
Women with low iron reserves and/or poor dietary intake of iron are prone
to_______________ during pregnancy, the most frequent type of _________
anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia.
Acquired.
In iron deficiency anemia, the MCH, MCHC, and MCV are?
Decreased.
Anemia during pregnancy may also be due to?
- Acute blood loss
- Infections
- Folic acid deficiency
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED LATEST
UPDATE
When is a CBC ordered antenatally?
First prenatal visit and again at 28 weeks.
What is the reason the Hgb and hct are checked at 28 weeks?
Woman is the most hemodiluted and thus most likely to be anemic.
RBC indices:
- MCH
- MCHC
- MCV
- Hbg
- Hct
MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin):
The average amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin inside a red blood cell.
Macrocytic RBCs are large, so tend to have a higher MCH, while microcytic RBCs
would have a lower value.
MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration):
Calculation of the average concentration of hgb inside a red cell.
,Decreaed MCHC indicates hypochromia which is seen in conditions where the hgb is
abnormally diluted inside the red cells, such as iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia.
Increased MCHC values (hyperchromia) is seen in conditions where the hgb is
abnormally concentrated inside of cells, such as in burn patients.
MCV (mean corpuscular volume):
A measurement of the average size of RBCs.
MCV is elevated when RBCs are larger than normal (macrocytic), as in vitamin B12
deficiency (pernicious anemia).
A decreased MCV tells us that cells are smaller than normal (microcytic) as seen in iron
deficiency anemia or thalassemia.
Hgb (hemoglobin):
Measures the amount of oxygen-carrying protein (hemoglobin) in the blood.
Hct (hematocrit):
Measures the percentage of red blood cells in a given volume of whole blood.
Pregnancy induces marked hematologic changes. The maternal plasma volume
increases ______ on average, achieving a maximum level at approximately _____
weeks gestation.
45%.
32 weeks.
Peak hemodilution occurs at?
, 24 to 26 weeks.
Shortly after the plasma volume begins to rise early in pregnancy,
____________________ accelerates, producing an increase in the number of
RBCs.
Erythropoiesis.
The increased plasma volume, along with this increase in red blood cell mass
ultimately expands the maternal blood volume by as much as?
35 to 40%.
'Physiologic anemia' describes the:
Proportionately greater increase in plasma volume as compared to the rise in RBCs.
Both ________ and ________ anemias can occur during pregnancy.
Acquired and hereditary.
Women with low iron reserves and/or poor dietary intake of iron are prone
to_______________ during pregnancy, the most frequent type of _________
anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia.
Acquired.
In iron deficiency anemia, the MCH, MCHC, and MCV are?
Decreased.
Anemia during pregnancy may also be due to?
- Acute blood loss
- Infections
- Folic acid deficiency
