RBC ANTIBODIES IN PREGNANCY AND GENERAL POPULATION- A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY AT A QUATERNARY CENTRE.

Corresponding Author:
Sonika Gupta,
House No. 281-A,
Vikram Nagar, Sarwal-180005,
Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
E-mail: sonikagupt@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

It is important to identify all RBC antibodies in pregnancy to determine whether there is a risk of haemolytic disease of newborn and to facilitate cross matching of maternal blood if an emergency transfusion is required at delivery.

Aims and Objectives- (1) To measure the prevalence of RBC antibodies in pregnant women coming to a quaternary care centre at Bangalore, (2) To describe the maternal and perinatal outcome in those who are found to be RBC antibody positive and (3) To compare the prevalence of antibodies in pregnant ladies with prevalence in patients other than pregnant women coming to the hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Manipal Hospital, Bangalore from 1^st October, 2012 to 30^th August, 2013 on antenatal patients and other patients from other departments on whom blood grouping and antibody screening has been done. After proper history, blood samples were collected in EDTA vials and were centrifuged at 2,000 rpm for 5 minutes and plasma separated immediately and tested for grouping and presence of antibodies.

RESULTS

8128 patients which included 1030 (12.67%) pregnant patients and 7098 (87.32%) non-pregnant patients were screened for antibodies during this period with positivity of 3.3% in pregnancy and 0.8% in other patient population. Anti D was the predominant antibody found in 81% pregnant patients with anti E and Anti Le^a in 6.1% each and anti C and anti K in 3% each. Anti D was positive in 17.7% of the non-pregnant group followed by Anti Le^a 14.5%, anti M 11.3% and anti E 9.7%. Except two patients, all other patients and their newborns in the positive group did not have any other significant morbidity.

CONCLUSION

Despite prophylactic use of Rh immunoglobulins, anti-D is still a common antibody identified as the major cause of alloimmunisation. The incidence of non-Rh antibodies is also high especially in the non-pregnant group and this increasing trend may lead to increase in incidence of HDFN and transfusion related reactions in the future.

KEY WORDS

RBC Antibodies, Pregnancy, General Population.