Fetal Blood Type Screening/Testing

Fetal blood type screening can determine if your baby’s blood type is different from yours. This may be important if your are RhD negative or if you have antibodies that can affect your pregnancy.

For Health-Care Providers

Requisitions


Fetal RHD Screening

Alloimmunized Fetal Blood Group Genotyping (Allo-FBGG)

Most people won't need this test.  It is only needed if:

  • you’ve been told you are RhD negative (for example, your blood type is A‑negative, B‑negative, AB‑negative, or O‑negative), or
  • antibodies against certain blood groups were found in your blood during pregnancy 

If either of these apply to you, you can use the links below to learn more about fetal blood type screening and what tests might be recommended. If you don’t know your blood type, talk to your health-care provider about arranging testing to find out.

If you are RhD positive and no antibodies were found, you don’t need to read further.

I am RhD negative

Learn More

I have antibodies

Learn More

Fetal RHD Screening

Fetal RHD screening can tell if your baby is RhD positive or RhD negative. The result helps your health-care provider decide if you need RhD immune globulin (RhIG) during pregnancy. This helps you get treatment only when you need it. 

For pregnant people who are RhD negative.

Alloimmunized Fetal Blood Group Genotyping (Allo-FBGG)

Alloimmunized Fetal Blood Group Genotyping (Allo-FBGG) can tell if your baby has certain blood group markers (called antigens). The result can help your health-care provider understand if your pregnancy needs to be monitored for a condition called hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN).

For pregnant people that have antibodies: anti-D, anti-C, anti-c, anti-E or anti-K.

For Health-Care Providers

Fetal RHD Screening for RhD Negative Pregnancies: A Guide for Health-Care Providers

English

For Health-Care Providers

Fetal Blood Group Genotyping for Alloimmunized Pregnancies: A Guide for Health-Care Providers

English

PSO Infoline

Our genetic counsellors and screening specialists are available Monday to Friday from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm EST to answer your questions about prenatal screening.

Please note that prenatal screening tests have to be ordered through a health-care provider, and we cannot organize this testing.

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Virtual educational sessions on prenatal screening and nuchal translucency quality assurance are available upon request for health‑care providers.

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