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Updated: May 16, 2026
Isolation of Primary Human Decidual Cells from the Fetal Membranes of Term Placentae
Published on: April 30, 2018
Circulating cell-free fetal DNA for the detection of RHD status and sex using reflex fetal identifiers
K J Moise1, N H Boring, R O'Shaughnessy
1Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Kenneth.J.Moise@uth.tmc.edu
Objective:
To determine the sensitivity and specificity of circulating cell-free fetal DNA in determining the fetal RHD status and fetal sex.
Methods:
Maternal blood was collected in each trimester of pregnancy from RhD negative nonalloimmunized women. Whole blood was centrifuged, separated into plasma and buffy coat, and frozen at -80°C. DNA analysis was conducted via allele-specific primer extensions for exons 4, 5, and 7 of the RHD gene and for a 37-base pair insertion in exon 4 (RHD pseudogene; psi) three Y-chromosome sequences (SRY, DBY, and TTY2), and an extraction control (TGIFL-like X/Y). RhD serotyping on cord blood and gender assessment of the newborns were entered into a Web-based database.
Results:
One hundred twenty women were enrolled. The median gestational age at the first venipuncture was 12.4 (range: 10.6-13.9) weeks with 120 samples drawn; 118 samples were drawn at 17.6 (16-20.9) weeks; and 113 samples at 28.7 (27.9-33.9) weeks. Overall accuracy for RHD was 99.1%, 99.1%, and 98.1% for each trimester and was 99.1%, 99.1%, and 100% for fetal sex determination.
Conclusions:
Fetal RHD genotyping and sex can be very accurately determined in all three trimesters using circulating cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal circulation.
