title: Simple non-invasive prenatal detection of Hb Bart's disease by analysis of fetal erythrocytes in maternal blood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate a simple non-invasive technique for early detection of Hemoglobin (Hb) Bart's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal blood smears from 8 known Hb Bart's pregnancies and 40 at-risk pregnancies were investigated. Maternal peripheral blood smears were stained with fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies against alpha- and embryonic zeta-globin chains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fetal nonnucleated red blood cells, stained with anti-zeta but not with anti-alpha globin antibodies were found in 15 out of 16 affected pregnancies but were not detected in 23 out of 24 unaffected pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results showed that non-invasive immunofluorescence staining of maternal blood is a feasible approach for screening Hb Bart's disease before ultrasound manifestation in affected pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Prenatal Diagnostic and Counselling Department, Tsan Yuk Hospital, Hong Kong. lautke@ha.org.hk
authors.forename: Elizabeth T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Yvonne K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.forename: Hong Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: David H K
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: Mary H Y
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005914:Globins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; D005914:Globins; C030448:hemoglobin Bart's