Blood, 1955, Vol. 10, No. 11, pp. 1092-1099.
© 1955 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Immunologic Studies of Hemoglobins
III. Fetal Hemoglobin Changes in the Circulation
of Pregnant Women
DONALD L. RUCKNAGEL 1 and
AMOZ I. CHERNOFF 1
1 Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine,
St. Louis.
Changes in the concentration of fetal hemoglobin in maternal blood during
pregnancy and after delivery were studied in 91 pregnant women. Significant
elevations of fetal hemoglobin were detected in the blood of ten women during
the second trimester of pregnancy; these values fell toward normal during the
ensuing pregnancy and post partum periods. In no instance could a rise in fetal
hemoglobin be detected after delivery. The significance of these observations is
discussed; it is suggested that acute hormonal changes early in pregnancy may
be responsible for the reactivation of a fetal erythropoietic anlage with the resultant
production by the mother of erythrocytes containing fetal hemoglobin. The
method used was not sensitive enough, however, to detect minute amounts of
fetal blood which may have crossed the placental barrier.
Submitted on April 25, 1955
Accepted on June 25, 1955
