OBJECTIVE: To determine if the @entity6668 status of the fetus can be detected in an unselected group of @entity6668 -negative @entity1 with ongoing pregnancies booking for routine antenatal care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We obtained 2.5 ml of whole blood from 202 unselected @entity1 with a normal ongoing pregnancy who booked for antenatal care before 20 weeks' gestation. DNA was extracted and real time quantitative PCR performed. Primers and a specific probe were targeted at the Rhesus D gene. RESULTS: Of 194 @entity1 , 31 were @entity6668 -negative with no evidence of prior isoimmunisation. They delivered 17 @entity6668 -positive and 14 @entity6668 -negative babies. Of the 17 @entity6668 -negative @entity1 carrying a @entity6668 -positive fetus, the @entity6668 gene was detected in the maternal blood in 14 (82%). There were no false positives. The quantity of @entity6668 gene detected in the maternal blood of @entity6668 -negative mothers ranged from 2 x 10(2) to 4 x 10(6) copies/ml of whole blood. CONCLUSION: Using real time quantitative PCR assays to amplify free fetal DNA in the maternal circulation, identification of @entity6668 -positive fetuses in @entity6668 -negative mothers is feasible when they book for antenatal care. Before such @entity6668 genotyping can be introduced into clinical practice, however, further studies are required to show that false negative results can be eliminated and to show that this diagnostic test is reliable outside a research setting.

Detection of fetal Rhesus D gene in whole blood of XXXX booking for routine antenatal care.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women'] @entity6668 :: ('6007', 'Gene') :: ['RhD']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['women']
