<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>D– red blood cells (RBCs), always in short supply, and Rh immune globulin (RhIG) are not needed for patient care if D+ RBCs can safely be transfused. According to a recent work group recommendation, patients with the <italic>RHD*weak D type 4.0</italic> allele can be considered D+. We report an African American woman who presented for delivery at the end of the third trimester, at which time anti-U and a serologic weak D phenotype were recognized, requiring U–, D– RBC units. We obtained 3 U– RBC units, including 1 D– unit. Later, the <italic>RHD*weak D type 4.0</italic> allele was determined by <italic>RHD</italic> genotyping, only 6 days before delivery. The patient had an uneventful vaginal delivery of a D+ baby. No transfusion was needed for mother or baby. In this case, a pregnant woman with the <italic>RHD*weak D type 4.0</italic> allele can safely be managed as D+, relaxing the unnecessary D– restriction for the limited U– RBC supply. The procured U–, D– RBC unit was frozen with 14 days of shelf-life remaining. To conserve D– RBC units, not limited to U–, for patients with a definite need, we recommend molecular analysis of a serologic weak D phenotype before a transfusion becomes imminent. The best time to resolve a serologic weak D phenotype with <italic>RHD</italic> genotyping is early in a pregnancy. <bold>
<italic>Immunohematology 2021;37:1–4</italic>
</bold>.</p>
</abstract>

D– red blood cells (RBCs), always in short supply, and Rh immune globulin (RhIG) are not needed for patient care if D+ RBCs can safely be transfused. According to a recent work group recommendation, patients with the RHD*weak D type 4.0 allele can be considered D+. We report an African American woman who presented for delivery at the end of the third trimester, at which time anti-U and a serologic weak D phenotype were recognized, requiring U–, D– RBC units. We obtained 3 U– RBC units, including 1 D– unit. Later, the RHD*weak D type 4.0 allele was determined by RHD genotyping, only 6 days before delivery. The patient had an uneventful vaginal delivery of a D+ baby. No transfusion was needed for mother or baby. In this case, a pregnant woman with the RHD*weak D type 4.0 allele can safely be managed as D+, relaxing the unnecessary D– restriction for the limited U– RBC supply. The procured U–, D– RBC unit was frozen with 14 days of shelf-life remaining. To conserve D– RBC units, not limited to U–, for patients with a definite need, we recommend molecular analysis of a serologic weak D phenotype before a transfusion becomes imminent. The best time to resolve a serologic weak D phenotype with RHD genotyping is early in a pregnancy. 
Immunohematology 2021;37:1–4
.

Transfusion support during childbirth for a woman with anti-U and the <italic>RHD*weak D type 4.0</italic> allele

Immunohematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Transfusion support during childbirth for a woman with anti-U and the  allele

D– red blood cells (RBCs), always in short supply, and Rh immune globulin (RhIG) are not needed for patient care if D+ RBCs can safely be transfused. According...

Transfusion support during childbirth for a woman with anti-U and the RHD*weak D type 4.0 allele

Article Category: article

Published Online: Mar 31, 2021

Page range: 1 - 4

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/immunohematology-2021-001

© 2021 Q. Yin et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.