Morphological changes of red blood cells in peripheral blood smear of patients with pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders.

Background And Aims: Pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders are complications in which risk factors are identified such as nulliparity, age, malnutrition, obesity and social issues. Those statements are explained by theories of abnormal placentation, immunological inadequacy, genetics and oxidative stress, but all theories converge in endothelial damage, which is able to mechanically deform and hemolyze erythrocytes as they pass through the capillaries. Given the effects of endothelial damage, the aim of the study was to determine erythrocyte alterations in peripheral blood smear of patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy that could be used as prognostic condition.