Blood Laboratory

Fetal Deaths Due to Preeclampsia Drop

blood laboratory — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 05:11:55 +0000

This article discusses the significant decrease in fetal and infant mortality caused by another complication of pregnancy which is preeclampsia. Preeclampsia or also known as pregnancy induced hypertension or PIH is a disorder that generally develops late in pregnancy, usually after 20 weeks of gestation and is characterized by a sudden onset of high blood pressure, edema or swelling generally in the extremities, and protein in the urine. More often than not, five to ten percent of pregnant women will be diagnosed with preeclampsia, though half of those cases are of women who had high blood pressure prior to pregnancy. Symptoms of preeclampsia include severe swelling, sudden weight gain unrelated to eating, headaches and visual disturbances, as well as a rise in blood pressure.

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High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

blood laboratory — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 05:08:07 +0000

This article discusses high blood pressure during pregnancy. Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is considered high when the readings are greater than 140 mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic. Hypertension as we all know is a serious problem that we must address especially during the times of pregnancy. While most pregnant women who have, or develop high blood pressure during pregnancy go on to complete a natural birth with no serious problems, the condition can still be dangerous. Several women with no history of high blood pressure will spontaneously develop high blood pressure during pregnancy. This condition is referred to as gestational hypertension. Any woman can develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, but certain groups of women are at higher risk. Higher risk groups include women who are significantly overweight before becoming pregnant, are either younger than 20 or older than 40 years old, have developed high blood pressure during a previous pregnancy, are pregnant with twins and those who have existing diabetes or kidney problems.

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Ultrasound Detects Rh Disease Complication in Womb

blood laboratory — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 08:13:06 +0000

This article is about the use of ultrasound to detect complication of Rh incompatibility during pregnancy. Rhesus disease develops when red blood cells which is Rh positive from a fetus enter the maternal circulation of an Rh negative mother. This circumstance commonly happens at the time when the mother delivers the baby, but it can also happen at other times during pregnancy, like for instance when there is a spontaneous miscarriage or abortion.

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Blood Laboratory- Precipitin Test and Other

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:52:12 +0000

In the precipitin test a reaction takes place between a soluble antigen and a solution of its homologous antibody. The reaction is manifested by the formation of a visible precipitate at the interface of the reactants but may be inhibited by an excess of either antigen or antibody. The most useful precipitin test therefore provides for diffusion of the reactants until optimum concentration is reached. The equivalence zone represents the concentrations of antigen and antibody where complete precipitation occurs. Culture filtrates or animal serums contain a number of different antigens. If they are used for immunization, they give rise to a correspondingly large number of different antibodies. (more…)

Blood Laboratory Test-Serological and Diagnostic Methods

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:50:55 +0000

Laboratory tests extend the clinician’s diagnostic skill and guide his therapeutic efforts. Serological tests represent a large percentage of the laboratory tools available to aid the clinician. These tests include agglutination, precipitation and complement-fixation, which, along with other laboratory procedures, are explained in the following pages. Animal tests and experimentation provide a useful diagnostic tool in some diseases. Although not a laboratory test, skin tests made on the patient aid in determining susceptibility or immunity to certain infections. Certain serological tests are of great value and are widely used in the diagnosis of infectious disease and the identification of microorganisms on the basis of their antigenic components. (more…)

Other Immunity Resistance Factors

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:46:54 +0000

Complement or alexin (protective material), is a substance found in normal blood serum. It is called complement, abbreviated C’, because of its complementary effect on certain reactions between bacterial cells, bacteriolysins and other lysins. When associated with appropriate antibodies, it is detrimental to some bacteria, especially gram-negative bacteria, which it kills. Combinations of C’ and appropriate antibody lyse mammalian cells. Complement is not a true antibody, but it enhances the activity of true antibodies. In the absence of C’, cytolysis (cell breakdown) does not occur even when specific lysins are present to act on susceptible cells. (more…)

Antibodies: The Third Line of Defense

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:46:07 +0000

Blood contains antibodies which defend the body from infection. They constitute the third line of defense. Antibodies have already been defined as specific substances formed by the body in response to stimulation by specific foreign and protein like substances called antigens. Chemically, they too are proteins, composed principally of gamma globulins, although other immunoglobulins may also be present. IMMUNOGLOBULINS The discovery of the gamma globulins in human serum investigation has revealed that the gamma globulin fraction is not one but at least five distinct classes, all of which have antibody activity. (more…)

Blood Diseases

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:44:44 +0000

Blood is composed of cells and plasma. Plasma is largely water in which are dissolved minerals, proteins, gases and other chemicals that assist in the work of the blood. Whether all are in the right proportions or not depends on the state of nutrition and metabolism of the body and on the activity of the blood forming organs. Most commonly plasma abnormalities occur when something goes wrong with the respiratory, digestive, and excretory organs. Blood cells are produced in special tissues or organs. Bone marrow, the largest blood-forming organ, supplies red cells, certain white cells called granulocytes, and platelets. (more…)

Blood

blood laboratory — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:30:40 +0000

The body fluid pumped by the heart through the vessels of those animals, all vertebrates and many invertebrates in which diffusion alone is not adequate for transport of materials, and which therefore require blood circulation system. Blood plays a part in every major bodily activity. As the body’s main transport medium it carries a variety of materials like oxygen and nutrients such as glucose to the tissues for growth and repair, carbon dioxide and wastes from the tissues for excretion, hormones to various tissues and organs for chemical signaling, digested food from the gut to the liver, immune bodies fro preparation of infection and clotting factors to help stop bleeding to all parts of the body. (more…)