Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1965 May;18(3):322–326. doi: 10.1136/jcp.18.3.322

Practical evaluation of the Figlu test in pregnancy with special reference to the white cell changes

Jean M Scott 1, J W Sommerville 1
PMCID: PMC472933  PMID: 14304245

Abstract

Using slight modifications to the method of Kohn, Mollin, and Rosenbach (1961) the histidine loading test has been carried out in 210 pregnant women. Seventy per cent. of the cases showed complete haematological correlation and this rose to 87% when marrow puncture was performed. False positive results occurred in some cases showing active erythropoiesis in response to iron therapy. False negative results were noted when other complications in addition to anaemia were present, and it was felt that these might interfere with the metabolism of histidine. In some cases the histidine test anticipated the haematological change.

Seventy-seven per cent. of women with multiple pregnancies showed evidence of folic acid deficiency.

Only in a few cases was the test positive before the 25th week of pregnancy. These were either cases of multiple pregnancy, haemolytic anaemia, malabsorption syndrome, or women with a recent history of megaloblastic anaemia of pregnancy.

The test appears to confirm the significance of white cell changes as an indication of folic acid deficiency in pregnancy.

Full text

PDF
325

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BALL E. W., GILES C. FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12 LEVELS IN PREGNANCY AND THEIR RELATION TO MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA. J Clin Pathol. 1964 Mar;17:165–174. doi: 10.1136/jcp.17.2.165. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. DAWSON D. W. The bone marrow picture of folic acid deficiency in pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Emp. 1962 Feb;69:38–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1962.tb00005.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GILES C., SHUTTLEWORTH E. M. Megaloblastic anaemia of pregnancy and the puerperium. Lancet. 1958 Dec 27;2(7061):1341–1347. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(58)91437-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HIBBARD E. D. FIGLU excretion. A screening test for folic acid deficiency in pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Emp. 1962 Oct;69:739–741. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1962.tb01273.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HUSAIN O. A., ROTHMAN D., ELLIS L. FOLIC ACID DEFICIENCY IN PREGNANCY. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw. 1963 Oct;70:821–827. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1963.tb04985.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. KARTHIGAINI S., GNANASUNDARAM D., BAKER S. J. MEGALOBLASTIC ERYTHROPOIESIS AND SERUM VITAMIN B12 AND FOLIC ACID LEVELS IN PREGNANCY IN SOUTH INDIAN WOMEN. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw. 1964 Feb;71:115–122. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1964.tb04252.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KERSHAW P. W., GIRDWOOD R. H. SOME INVESTIGATIONS OF FOLIC-ACID DEFICIENCY. Scott Med J. 1964 May;9:201–212. doi: 10.1177/003693306400900503. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KOHN J., MOLLIN D. L., ROSENBACH L. M. Conventional voltage electrophoresis for formiminoglutamic-acid determination in folic acid deficiency. J Clin Pathol. 1961 Jul;14:345–350. doi: 10.1136/jcp.14.4.345. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. METZ J., STEVENS K., BRANDT V. Urinary formiminoglutamic acid in the megaloblastic anaemias associated with pregnancy and malnutrition. Br Med J. 1962 Dec 1;2(5317):1440–1441. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5317.1440. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. SCOTT J. M. Intramuscular iron therapy in anaemia of pregnancy; two-year survey. Br Med J. 1956 Sep 15;2(4993):635–638. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.4993.635. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES