PRENATAL ANALYSIS OF RHESUS CEDEE BLOOD-GROUPS BY HETERODUPLEX GENERATOR

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of the heterodupl ex generator in the prenatal analysis of rhesus CcDEe blood groups. ST UDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed evaluating fetal sam ples from 85 women undergoing prenatal diagnosis and comparing the res ults with standard immunologic serotyping on cord blood delivery. RESU LTS: Of the 85 samples, 64 were tested for all CcDEe alleles; one case was discrepant. Twenty-one cases were tested solely for the D antigen . Two novel genotypes were detected in the population by heteroduplex generator and confirmed by deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing. Five case s were indeterminate because of an indistinct handing pattern. CONCLUS IONS: Heteroduplex analysis can identify rhesus blood group alleles an d is inexpensive, rapid, and does not use radioactive isotopes.