Laboratory findings in pregnancy

NP Certification Q&A

A 28-year-old woman presents with new onset worsening fatigue, present for approximately the last month. She is 28 weeks pregnant with her second child, has a 1.5-year-old healthy child at home, says she remembers being tired towards the end of her pregnancy with her first child, but states, “This is worse than with my last pregnancy”. She denies vaginal bleeding or discharge, abdominal pain, or other concerning issues, is sleeping about 7 hours per night, and has adequate access to nutritious food. She is not taking a prenatal vitamin, reporting, “I kept throwing up every time I took one.” During early pregnancy. PHQ-9 screening tool results are without concern.

Labs results are as follows.

Hemoglobin 9.2g per dl (NL=12-14)

Hct=27% (NL=36-42%)

Total RBC= 2.9 million (3.9 to 5.2 million cells per microliter (million/µL)

MCV 75 FL (NL=80-98)

MCH 22 PG (NL=27-33)

RDW 18% (NL=11.5-15%)

These results are most consistent with:
A. Pregnancy related hemodilution.
B. Folic acid deficiency anemia
C. Iron deficiency anemia.
D. Beta thalassemia minor.
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