Prenatal determination of fetal blood group status.
OBJECTIVE
The prenatal determination of fetal blood group status by molecular techniques has been used in the clinical management of alloimmunised pregnancies for seven years, in particular for the definition of fetal Rh D, c and E, K, Fya and Jka status. This has arisen in response to the definition of the molecular bases of human blood group polymorphism.


METHODS
PCR-based amplification assays have been designed to define fetal blood group status, where the source of template DNA is normally derived from amniotic fluid or chorionic villus. Recently, non-invasive methods have been explored to obtain fetal DNA from maternal peripheral blood.


RESULTS
PCR-based tests are now available to screen for all fetal medicine significant blood group antigens. The Rh system is the most complex, and assays to define Rh genotype have been modified in response to our increased understanding of the molecular biology of this blood group system.


CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal diagnosis of fetal blood group status is now in widespread use in the clinical management of HDN. Non-invasive testing, if applied in the clinical setting may invoke a dramatic increase in the numbers of pregnancies that may be analysed prenatally.
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. neil.avent@uwe.ac.uk
N D
ND
Avent
K M
KM
Finning
P G
PG
Martin
P W
PW
Soothill
D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000175:diagnosis; D006475:Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding / Q000276:immunology
D001789:Blood Group Antigens