Alloimmunisation during pregnancy in Greece: need for nationwide HDFN prevention programme

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Immunology
• Public Health

Background:

• Alloimmunisation in pregnant women in Greece was previously unquantified.
• Understanding alloimmunisation rates is crucial for managing potential risks to foetal and newborn health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence and specificity of maternal red blood cell alloimmunisation.
• To assess the clinical impact of alloimmunisation in Greece.
• To identify risk factors associated with alloimmunisation during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A 4-year study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Greece.
• Demographic, transfusion, and obstetric histories were analyzed for 4368 pregnant women.
• Maternal alloimmunisation was detected using the indirect anti-globulin test.

Main Results:

• The overall incidence of alloimmunisation was 0.89% (41/4368), with a higher rate in migrants (1.76%) compared to Greek women (0.66%).
• Anti-D was the most frequent alloantibody, occurring more often in RhD-negative migrant women.
• Primiparity and a history of blood transfusion were significantly associated with alloimmunisation.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in healthcare delivery and alloimmunisation prevention practices exist between migrant and Greek women.
• The findings underscore the need for standardized, nationwide guidelines for preventing haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn in Greece.