Blood Group Antigens on Fetal Red Cells Obtained by Umbilical Vein Puncture under Ultrasound Guidance: A Rapid Hemagglutination Test To Check for Contamination with Maternal Blood

31 October 1986

journal article
research article
Published by Springer Nature in Pediatric Research

Vol. 20 (11) , 1082-1084
https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198611000-00004

Abstract

Seventy-two fetal blood samples obtained by umbilical vein puncture under ultrasound guidance for prenatal diagnosis and monitoring purposes were tested for the expression of 38 blood group antigens. The gestational age at sampling ranged from 18 to 34 wk with 76% of fetuses between 20 and 25 wk. Compared to adult red blood cells, the following antigens showed either abnormally decreased frequency, or significantly reduced expression: A, B, A₁, H, Lu^a, Lu^b, Le^a, Le^b, P₁, P, and I. Selected anti- I and anti-i cold agglutinins, active at room temperature, were used at appropriate dilution, in a rapid slide or spin test to check for possible mixture of the sample with maternal blood and were shown to detect contaminations up to 5%. The test has proved particularly helpful for immediate and in process assessment of foetal origin of the sampled blood.

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