ANTENATAL SCREENING FOR HPA-1A BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

Pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at King George V Hospita l, the Birth Centre or were referred by osbtetricians from February to July, 1996 were screened for the platelet antigen HPA-1a by flow cyto metry. Forty out of 2.300 (1.7%) were found to be negative for this an tigen. Of the 28 women followed throughout their pregnancy, none devel oped antibody, to HPA-1a. Platelet counts performed on samples from 17 babies born to 17 of these mothers were all normal. This study proves the simplicity and rapidity of flow cytometry for platelet antigen sc reening. The results were comparable with tile Solid Phase Red Cell Ad herence (SPRCA) method and with PCR. The lack of a plentiful supply of specific antibody and the rarity of fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocy topenia (FMAIT) argue against the introduction of routine screening fo r maternal HPA-1a status at the present time.