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Fetal RhD genotyping by analysis of maternal blood. A case report
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary.
Background:
Prenatal determination of fetal rhesus D (RhD) status is desirable in pregnancies in sensitized, RhD-negative women to prevent hydropic degeneration of the fetus. Recently, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on amniocytes or chorionic villi has been in use to demonstrate the RhD status of the fetus in sensitized pregnancies. A more advisable, noninvasive approach is to determine the fetal RhD group from fetal cells circulating in maternal blood.
Case:
We report on a prenatal diagnosis where RhD-positive cells could be detected from peripheral blood of a sensitized, RhD-negative mother. The presence of an RhD-positive fetus was confirmed by subsequent amplification of fetal DNA obtained by chorionic villus biopsy.
Conclusion:
In sensitized pregnancies, the number of fetal cells in maternal blood seems to be high enough to be detected by PCR in every case.