Should pregnant mothers worry when lymphocytosis rate decreases in pregnancy?

Lymphocytes are a cell that plays an important role in the human immune system. However, the decrease in lymphocyte ratio during pregnancy is very normal.

Why is the rate of lymphocytes decreased during pregnancy and does this decrease have any effect on the health of pregnant mothers and babies? Let's find out with aFamilyToday Health in this article!

What are Lymphocytes?

Lymphocytes are a cell that plays an important role in ensuring resistance. Lymphocytes, along with other types of white blood cells, form a barrier that protects the body from external factors. Lymphocytes produce antibodies that help fight bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cells that can proliferate to form tumors.

Lymphocytes are made from the body's bone marrow. In the fetus still in the womb, lymphocytes are formed in the form of undifferentiated liver cells. Lymphocytes help develop the immune system as well as recognize the presence of "foreign factors" that can threaten human health.

There are two main types of lymphocytes: B and T.

B lymphocytes protect the body by means of a humoral immune response by antibodies, which contributes to fighting bacteria and some viruses. Meanwhile, T lymphocytes participate in the cell-mediated immune response, with diverse effects on fungi, bacteria, viruses and some cancer cells. These cells control the body's immune responses and activate or deactivate these responses as needed.

What is the ratio of normal lymphocytes in the blood?

Lymphocyte ratio is one of the important factors that helps detect abnormalities in the body, especially infection or viral infection. The rate of lymphocytes in pregnant women will usually vary from normal people and vary depending on the stage of pregnancy.

The lymphocyte ratio of normal adults is in the range of 0.7 to 4.6 billion cells / liter of blood.

In the first trimester, the rate of lymphocytes in maternal blood changed, the lower limit increased to 1.1 - 3.6 billion cells / 1 liter of blood.

During the second trimester of pregnancy, this ratio is 0.9 to 3.9 billion cells per liter of blood.

During the last trimester, this ratio remains within the limit of 1 - 3.6 billion cells / liter of blood.

What are the reasons why lymphocytosis rates decrease during pregnancy?

A decrease in lymphocyte prevalence during pregnancy is very normal. At the beginning of conception and during the period when the embryo waits to move into the uterus, the body is forced to change several mechanisms to ensure these processes proceed smoothly.

In the human body, the embryo is a "new member", the immune system can influence the embryo and harm them. Therefore, the body needs to regulate itself to suppress the immune system's response.

One of the body's own regulatory mechanisms is to reduce the number of lymphocytes, which in turn causes the lymphocyte ratio to decrease. Thanks to that, the embryo can "nest" and develop into the fetus more successfully and easily.

However, during this stage, the mother's body still needs to be protected to the maximum extent, so some other cells such as neutrophils are activated, temporarily taking on the task of protecting the human body. mother from outside agents.

The percentage of lymphocytes in the body tends to remain stable within the above limit. However, if the ratio falls below the specified limit, this could be a sign of some dangerous conditions such as:

Rh blood type disagreement , which occurs when the Rh factor in the blood of the mother and baby has a disagreement, which in turn can cause the rate of lymphocytes to drop abnormally.

The baby's tissues are incompatible with their mothers, which can cause a number of allergic reactions.

Infections occur, sometimes with conditions that are dangerous to mother and baby such as HIV infection.

Some chronic maternal diseases such as gastritis, cystitis ...

Deficiencies in certain minerals and vitamins also cause the body to weaken.

Obesity or constant use of drugs and alcohol.

Will the decreased lymphocyte ratio during pregnancy cause complications?

The human body has a self-balancing mechanism to adapt to internal or external changes, thereby keeping the body's functions in a normal and stable manner. When the lymphocyte ratio decreases, the body increases other cells such as neutrophils to replace, thereby helping to protect the mother's health. However, this mechanism is not always effective. The following are the complications that may occur with decreased lymphocytosis rates in pregnant women:

Reducing the number of lymphocytes can weaken the body of a pregnant woman, which is still struggling against some internal changes.

A decrease in lymphocyte rates can make the body more sensitive and vulnerable to external factors, such as temperature fluctuations, climate change, air pollution or problems. other.

Although the body has increased production of other types of cells to replace lymphocytes, in some cases bacteria can still enter the body and cause a number of infections .

What can you do to prevent possible complications?

There is nothing we can do to influence the decline in lymphocyte rates as it is a natural and extremely necessary process for the development of the baby in the abdomen.

However, you should go to the hospital for a full check and early detection of diseases in the body, from which to find out the direction of thorough treatment before planning a pregnancy. The presence of any disease can endanger the mother's health as well as affect the fetus in the womb.

Supplements or drugs can be used to strengthen maternal resistance. Ensuring the health of the mother is crucial in maintaining the health and development of the baby in the womb. Mothers need to make lifestyle adjustments and avoid exposure to sources of high infection.

Some tips to help mothers strengthen the immune system during pregnancy

To boost immunity during pregnancy, here are some tips to follow:

Don't worry too much as the white blood cell count decreases during pregnancy as stress can affect your health.

Stick to a healthy diet that includes lots of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. These foods can help pregnant mothers become healthier and also safe for the baby.

Along with that, you can take a number of other foods and drugs to help strengthen the immune system. However, pregnant mothers need to consult with doctors and experts before using any medicine or food supplement.

Pregnancy can cause a lot of changes in your body. The body needs to adjust the amount of lymphocytes to create conditions for eggs to be able to nest and grow safely. However, along with a decrease in the number of lymphocytes in the blood, the body also has a mechanism to produce other types of cells that help fight many external harmful agents. Through many different mechanisms, the body self-adjusts to ensure the health of both you and your baby.