摘要：Background : A large number of neonatal conditions can be anticipated before or identified at birth. Many of these conditions need venous sampling of neonates to determine hematological,parameters. There are no studies to show whether the easily available umbilical cord sample can be used to obtain these test parmeters in full-term neonates. Materials & Methods : This retrospective,one-year study included full-term neonates with conditions that can be predicted before birth (infection in the infant of a mother with prolonged rupture of membranes,Rh negutive mothers' infant,Intra-uterine growth retardation,transient tachypnoea of newborn following caesarean section) or at birth (birth asphyxia). Umbilical cord blood hemoglobin,total and differential leukocyte counts and platelet counts were compared with the same parameters obtained from venous blood drawn from neonates within six hours of birth. Results : A total of 49 neonates were eligible and included. The mean (s.d.) values of parameters for cord blood were 15.49 gm/dL (3. 36) for hemoglobin; 12695. 26/dL (6181.49) for total leukocyte count; Ploymorphs 48.61% (15. 97); Lymphocytes 39.46% (I5.83); Eosinophils 4. 17% (2. 2) and Monocytes 4. 7% (2. 27) while mean platelet count was 254.4 x 103/dL (91.5). The same parameters for venous blood were mean hemoglobin ofI5. 78 gm/dl (2. 76); TLC 13373.47/dL (6499.16); Ploymorpls 50. 04% (14.45); Lymphocytes 41.08% (15.26); Eosinophils 4.14% (2. 2) and Monocytes 4. 7% (2. 19) while mean platelet count in venous blood was 265.76 x 103/dL.
