Hello,

As part of our current Retype/Confirm policy we do the following. If a newborn's cord blood specimen front types the same ABO and Rh as the mother than a heel-stick confirm ABO/Rh type is redrawn and tested on the baby to ensure that the cord blood ABO/Rh type is in fact the baby's. Our pathologist is asking about this and would like to know if there is any literature out there which supports us doing this heel-stick confirm on the baby. Any references that supports this policy would be appreciated.

Thanks,

David

Hi David,

We don't reconfirm cords. Though our OB is on the small size (1500/yr), even though we have a high risk NICU.

If mom is non-O and Rh pos, we don't test the cord at all. I don't recall any literature that addresses confirming baby's ABO. Though I'm surprised that your pediatricians aren't fussing about the babies being stuck again.

You could probably answer your own question, if you look at a history of your results. How many times have you not confirmed the cord ABO? If in the past year or 2 the answer is none, I'd say drop it.

We don't reconfirm cord blood typings routinely. If we are going to tranfuse the infant, we obtain a heel stick for another typing to rule out a mislabelled (or poorly labelled) cord blood specimen.

We have another problem in that the OB department sometimes labels the cord with the mother's name and number.

We do have same problem like MAry.

We use typenex band so we require new specimen if baby need transfusion.

The guy who installed our BBIS in 1994 gave me a procedure they used to be sure that cord blood was baby's instead of Mom's. I can't quite remember but they did some sort of test related to fetal Hgb. I think it was the same method as the old APT test done on meconium or *** discharge to prove whether any blood present was fetal or maternal. If you really want to track it down, he was from a hospital in London, Ontario, Canada. Here's the skinny: Phone Number :(519) 685-8500

ext 75351Fax :(519) 667-6613Email Address :glen.dietz@lhsc.on.caAddress :Room D321

Gartshore Building

London Health Sciences Centre

370 South Street

London, Ontario

N6A 4G5

We don't reconfirm cord blood typings routinely. If we are going to tranfuse the infant, we obtain a heel stick for another typing to rule out a mislabelled (or poorly labelled) cord blood specimen.

We have another problem in that the OB department sometimes labels the cord with the mother's name and number.

Thanks Mary,

On the basis of the replies we are going to drop it.

thanks much,

David

The guy who installed our BBIS in 1994 gave me a procedure they used to be sure that cord blood was baby's instead of Mom's. I can't quite remember but they did some sort of test related to fetal Hgb. I think it was the same method as the old APT test done on meconium or *** discharge to prove whether any blood present was fetal or maternal. If you really want to track it down, he was from a hospital in London, Ontario, Canada. Here's the skinny: Phone Number :(519) 685-8500

ext 75351Fax :(519) 667-6613Email Address :glen.dietz@lhsc.on.caAddress :Room D321

Gartshore Building

London Health Sciences Centre

370 South Street

London, Ontario

N6A 4G5

Hey Thanks much for this info Mabel,

Base on the replies I am going to drop the confirm on the cords. I will e-mail the address you listed just for my own info.

thanks again,

David

Hi David,

We don't reconfirm cords. Though our OB is on the small size (1500/yr), even though we have a high risk NICU.

If mom is non-O and Rh pos, we don't test the cord at all. I don't recall any literature that addresses confirming baby's ABO. Though I'm surprised that your pediatricians aren't fussing about the babies being stuck again.

You could probably answer your own question, if you look at a history of your results. How many times have you not confirmed the cord ABO? If in the past year or 2 the answer is none, I'd say drop it.

Kate,

Thanks. Have not had any cords that were not confirmed in the last year. Based on the replies I am going to drop it.

thanks much,

David

If you really want to track it down, he was from a hospital in London, Ontario, Canada. Here's the skinny: Phone Number :(519) 685-8500

ext 75351Fax :(519) 667-6613Email Address :glen.dietz@lhsc.on.caAddress :Room D321

Gartshore Building

London Health Sciences Centre

370 South Street

London, Ontario

N6A 4G5

The South Street hospital is closed but he may be at one of the other London hospitals. I'm pretty sure that I have met this guy before. I think he is a friend of someone that I work with. If it's the same person, I think he is at St. Joseph's hospital in London now. Hopefully the email address will get your message to him.