title: Antenatal screening for HPA-1a by flow cytometry.
abstract: Pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at King George V Hospital, the Birth Centre or were referred by obstetricians from February 19 July, 1996 were screened for the platelet antigen HPA-1a by flow cytometry. Forty out of 2,300 (1.7%) were found to be negative for this antigen. Of the 28 women followed throughout their pregnancy, none developed antibody to HPA-1a. Platelet counts performed on samples from 17 babies born to 17 of these mothers were all normal. This study proves the simplicity and rapidity of flow cytometry for platelet antigen screening. The results were comparable with the Solid Phase Red Cell Adherence (SPRCA) method and with PCR. The lack of a plentiful supply of specific antibody and the rarity of fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FMAIT) argue against the introduction of routine screening for maternal HPA-1a status at the present time.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Lavu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Popp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kronenberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Child
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016824:Antigens, Human Platelet / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods*; D039661:Integrin beta3; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011696:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D016824:Antigens, Human Platelet; C061248:ITGB3 protein, human; D039661:Integrin beta3