PRENATAL DETERMINATION OF HUMAN PLATELET ANTIGEN TYPE-4 BY DNA AMPLIFICATION OF AMNIOTIC-FLUID CELLS

To predict a fetus at risk for neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (N ATP) caused by human platelet antigen (HPA)-4 incompatibility, we appl ied a sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP). We were a ble to determine the HPA-4 genotype of three infants at risk using amn iotic fluid cells without the need for fetal blood sampling. The HPA-4 genotypes of amniotic fluid cells determined in this way were complet ely concordant with the genotype and phenotype of infants' venous bloo d samples obtained after delivery. Therefore, this technique is also c onvenient to a fetus at risk in the antenatal management of NATP induc ed by HPA-4 incompatibility. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.