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A prospective study of routine antenatal enzyme antibody screening demonstrates lack of clinical value in predicting haemolytic disease of the newborn
Author(s) -
Clark D.,
Greiss M. A.,
Urbaniak S. J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1999.01618.x
Subject(s) - medicine , antibody , prospective cohort study , pregnancy , haemolytic disease , hemolytic disease of the newborn (abo) , enzyme , obstetrics , disease , immunology , pediatrics , fetus , biology , biochemistry , genetics
A prospective study of 7065 consecutive new pregnancies identified 230 with a positive screen, of which 27% (62/230) were ‘enzyme‐only’ antibodies. 32 of these (52%) were potentially clinically important and were all of Rh specificity: 22 anti‐E, seven anti‐C w , two anti‐D and one anti‐c. However, only three of these enzyme‐only antibodies (one anti‐D, one anti‐c and one anti‐E) became reactive by the indirect antiglobulin test (IAT) during the course of pregnancy, and all were detected in the routine 34–36‐week maternal sample. No babies were affected, and we reaffirm that routine antibody screening by enzyme techniques is unnecessary.