Evaluation of prothrombin time, international normalized ratio and platelet counts among women presenting with vaginal bleeding in first trimester of pregnancy

Introduction: Pregnancy is associated with substantial changes in the tissue factor pathway and in the hemostatic system.(1) It is also characterised by impressive changes in the activating and inhibitory pathways of coagulation and fibrinolysis resulting in an accelerated but well balanced process of thrombin formation and resolution.(2) These changes serve to protect the mother from the hazards of bleeding imposed by placentation and delivery, but they also carry the risk of an exaggerated response localised or generalised to coagulation stimuli.(3) Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate prothrombin time, International Normalised Ratio and Platelet count among women presenting with vaginal bleeding in first trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Method: A retrospective study of females with vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy was carried out in the Post Graduate Department of Pathology, Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) and Hospital Sidhra in collaboration with Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for a period of two years i.e. from 1st January 2015- 31st December 2016, after obtaining the due clearance from Institutional Ethics committee. Conclusion: Coagulation abnormalities are rarely the cause of vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy among the women with no previous symptoms of bleeding disorders. Keywords: Prothrombin Time, International Normalised Ratio, Coagulation, Hemostasis