RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The white cell count (WCC) can be raised in pregnancy, but there is no published data-set to support a normal range. This study aimed to develop one. METHODS: The WCC of 500 consecutive labouring women at term receiving regional anaesthesia and 500 consecutive women delivered at term by elective caesarean section were retrieved from an electronic database. RESULTS: The mean and derived reference range at term with no labour was 8.9 × 10(9)/L (5-13 10(9)/L) and for the labouring group was 15.3 × 10(9)/L (5.3-25.3 × 10(9)/L). Fifteen women had a WCC > 25.3 × 10(9)/L (range 25.4-33.5 × 10(9)/L) not associated with severe sepsis. CONCLUSION: Two distinct normal ranges have been established to aid clinicians recognise normal and abnormal results.