Normal Laboratory Changes in Pregnancy

In pregnancy body fluid (water) increases, so many lab tests can be predicted upon this simple fact.

Blood changes in pregnancy:
- RBC is increased during pregnancy
- Plasma volume is increased during pregnancy
- Hemoglobin and Hematocrit are decreased during pregnancy, as the plasma volume increase is much more than the RBC increase

Cardiac (Heart) changes during pregnancy:
- Stroke Volume increases during pregnancy
- Heart Rate increases during pregnancy
- Cardiac Output increases during pregnancy

Pulmonary changes during pregnancy:
- I have forgotten this, so I will write it later ???

Thyroid Changes during pregnancy:
The important part here is to know that proteins and subsequently globulins are increased during pregnancy, so:
- TBG (Thyroxine Binding Globulin) increases during pregnancy
- Total T4 and Total T3 during pregnancy (these are because of increase in TBG)
- Free T4 and overall Thyroid Function is remain the same.

Renal changes during pregnancy:
- Cr (Creatine) decreases during pregnancy
- BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) also decreases during pregnancy
Attention: Do not forget, as I just mentioned most of the things are based on Plasma Volume change (increase) during pregnancy.

Attention: Upon knowing this fact, never ever high BUN or Cr, is considered normal during pregnancy!
Alkaline Phosphates increases during pregnancy.