[A pregnant woman with irregular erythrocyte antibodies for whom no compatible packed red blood cells were available]

Abstract

A 45-year-old woman underwent a Caesarean section at a gestational age of over 32 weeks. Screening for irregular erythrocyte antibodies in the transfusion laboratory yielded a positive result. It appeared that the patient had for several years been known to have antibodies against At(a), a high-frequency antigen that may cause severe transfusion reactions when incompatible packed cells are administered. No autologous donated blood was available and the only compatible At(a)-negative unit of packed cells in the Blood Bank of the Council of Europe was damaged during the thawing process. A cell saver was therefore used during the Caesarean section, and family members were summoned for donation. This case report illustrates the necessity of a transfusion plan for pregnant women with (rare) irregular antibodies.