Hematological Changes Associated with Pregnancy in Domestic Sows (Suis domesticus)

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy involves complex biological interaction and communication between the developing conceptus and maternal uterus, which may alter the blood cellular elements. The present investigation evaluated the hematological changes associated with pregnancy in domestic sows. Methods: Blood samples were collected by auricular venipuncture from twenty sexually mature domestic sows from four pig farms. Hematological analyses were carried out on the blood samples following standard procedures. Result: The mean packed cell volume (PCV), the red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and absolute lymphocyte count were higher during pregnancy and lower following parturition, whereas, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was lower during pregnancy and declined further following parturition. The mean total white blood cell (TWBC) count and the absolute neutrophil count were higher during pregnancy and further elevated postpartum while the absolute monocyte count was lower during pregnancy and elevated postpartum. The absolute eosinophil count was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the pregnant sows (0.35±0.13) and postpartum sows (0.21±0.15) than in the non-pregnant sows (1.06±0.27). These hematological alterations could assist in monitoring the physiological and health status of the dam, fetuses and pregnancy diagnosis.