ABSTRACT
Neutropenia occurs often among the newborn of women with pregnancy induced hypertension but its cause and clinical consequences have not been adequately studied. To clarify the previous points 2 groups of neonates have been studied: 26 neonates of mothers with hypertensive gestation and 20 neonates of mothers with uncomplicated pregnancy. Among the neonates of hypertensive gestation, 61.5% had neutropenia, 15.38% aquired nosocomial infection and 11.53% had neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. The granulocyte - macrophage colony forming capacity of the circulating progenitors was studied in vitro in cord blood cultures of all neonates, and in peripheral blood cultures of 10 healthy adults. Sera of cord blood of neonates of hypertensive gestation and sera of their mothers were evaluated to demonstrate the presence of a humoral factor which may affect progenitor cell proliferation. The results obtained revealed a significant increase in the number of colonies yielded from cord blood in both groups of neonates in comparison to peripheral blood cultures. A highly significant decrease in the number of granulocyte - macrophage colony forming units [GM - CFUs], in the neonates of mothers with pregnancy induced hypertension compared to control neonates was found. Marked inhibition in the number of colonies yielded in the three groups studied was noticed in vitro cultures in the presence of sera of pregnancy induced hypertensive mothers and the sera of their neonates. The results reflect the presence of an inhibitor in both maternal and fetal circulation, which needs further studies for its identification. We conclude that neutropenia associated with maternal hypertension is due to reduced circulating progenitors most probably secondary to the presence of an inhibitor in maternal and fetal blood