Diagnostic Services Alberta Year In Review 2021

Diagnostic Services “Year in Review” statistics are based on a January to December calendar year. The calendar year provides better correlation with Health Canada birth statistics.

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Text Version - Table 1

Total number of perinatal specimens and patients tested between 2017 and 2021 includes specimen types Perinatal, Partner and Cord. Perinatal specimens were tested for Type and Screen. Total number of perinatal specimens tested in 2017 were 76262, in 2018 – number of perinatal specimens were 74573, in 2019 – number of perinatal specimens were 72810, in 2020 – number of perinatal specimens were 67083 and in 2021, number of perinatal specimens were 62964. Partner specimens were tested for ABO/Rh. Total number of partner specimens tested in 2017 were 338, in 2018 – number of partner specimens were 340, in 2019 – number of partner specimens were 321, in 2020 – number of partner specimens were 305 and in 2021, number of perinatal specimens were 273. Cord specimens were also tested for ABO/Rh. Total number of cord specimens tested in 2017 were 147, in 2018 – number of cord specimens were 151, in 2019 – number of cord specimens were 86, in 2020 – number of cord specimens were 84 and in 2021, number of cord specimens were 52. Total number of patients tested were not reported in years 2017, 2018 and 2019. Total of 60639 patients were tested in 2020 and 55091 patients were tested in 2021.

Text Version – Figure 7

Figure 7 describes RhD testing algorithm. If NEO/Manual Rh results and previous RHD Genotyping results are available, report RhD as per previous RHD Genotyping results.  

If NEO/Manual Rh results are available but previous RHD Genotyping results are not available and Anti-D4 & Anti-D5 results are negative, check for the previous Novaclone Anti-D result in computer. If previous Novaclone Anti-D is Negative, report RhD as Rh Negative. If previous Novaclone Anti-D is positive, report as Rh Indeterminate and forward the sample for RHD Genotyping. 

If NEO/Manual Rh results are available but previous RHD Genotyping results are not available and Anti-D4 & Anti-D5 results are negative, check for the previous Novaclone Anti-D result in computer. If no Novaclone Anti-D result is available in computer, perform Novaclone Anti-D Test. If Novaclone Anti-D is Negative, report RhD as Rh Negative. If Novaclone Anti-D tests positive, repeat Novaclone Anti-D Test with Novaclone Control. If repeat Novaclone Anti-D is positive, report as Rh Indeterminate and forward the sample for RHD Genotyping. 

If NEO/Manual Rh results are available but previous RHD Genotyping results are not available and Anti-D4 & Anti-D5 results are less than or equal to one or equivocal or greater than or equal to two grade difference, perform tube tests for Anti-D4, Anti-D5, Monoclonal Control, Novaclone Anti-D and Novaclone Control. If any Rh Antisera results are less than or equal to one grade difference or greater than or equal to two grade difference, report as Rh Indeterminate and forward the sample for RHD Genotyping. If all the Rh antisera results are greater than or equal to two with less than or equal to one grade difference, report RhD as Rh Positive. If all antisera results are negative, report RhD as Rh Negative. 

If NEO/Manual Rh results are available but previous RHD Genotyping results are not available and Anti-D4 & Anti-D5 results are greater than or equal to two, report RhD as Rh Positive.