[Erythrocyte values in the newborn in the urban, tropical milieu at Abidjan].

In this study, the authors report the erythrocyte data of 129 in Abidjan. They are 0 to 29 days old and have a birthweight > or = 2.300 g. The rate of HB, HT and the red cell count increase to 10% during the 24 to 48 first hours of life and decrease there after. The cord blood erythrocyte values obtained at birth, in our study are similar to those of other developing countries and also to those of the developed countries. The apparent raising of the decrease of the erythrocyte values observed in our study, from the second week of life on, as compared to MATOH data, might be explained by a latent iron deficiency of the Abidjanese new-born babies.