Prevalence of RhD variants, confirmed by molecular genotyping, in a multiethnic prenatal population.
RhD determination in pregnant women is critical to facilitate Rh immune globulin prophylaxis for RhD-negative women. A single amino acid change in the RhD antigen can cause epitope loss, giving rise to "partial D" variants. Women with some partial D variants may develop anti-D against the missing epitope after pregnancy. RBCs with partial D may type as D-positive or D-negative depending on the reagent used. We screened routine blood bank samples from 501 prenatal patients for RhD variants by 3 commercially available serologic methods. Discordant serologic results were found in 11 cases. Weak D (n = 5) and partial D (n = 5) variants were confirmed by molecular genotyping in all but 1 case. RhD variants, confirmed molecularly, occur in 2.2% of our multiethnic population. Consideration of patients' ethnic background and close cooperation between pathologists and obstetric providers facilitate optimal prenatal care in these cases.
Wang
Dehua
D
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Lane
Catherine
C
Quillen
Karen
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian; D044383:Black People; D001938:Brazil / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult; D001741:Black or African American
D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System; C026410:Rho(D) antigen