title: Prenatal determination of fetal rhesus D status by DNA amplification of peripheral blood of rhesus-negative mothers.
abstract: We have developed a sensitive PCR-based assay for the RhD gene and used it to detect circulating fetal cells from RhD-positive fetuses from peripheral blood of RhD-negative mothers. With further improvement in diagnostic accuracy, this assay may have implications in the management of RhD-sensitized pregnancies in women whose partners are heterozygous for the RhD gene. Further studies are required to determine the relationship between maternal anti-D levels and circulating fetal cell numbers.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Pathology & Bacteriology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bowell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selinger
authors.forename: I Z
authors.initials: IZ
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gillmer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Littlewood
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System