Detection of Fetal NRBCs in Maternal Blood of Pregnant Carriers of β‐Thalassemia Using Anti‐γ and Anti‐ε Monoclonal Antibodies

: Fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) entering maternal circulation during pregnancy constitute a potential source of material for safe and reliable noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. The increased prevalence of β-thalassemia mutations in countries like Greece may create a problem, making it difficult to distinguish between NRBCs of fetal or maternal origin. Use of Ab against embryonic hemoglobin e may increase specificity for fetal NRBC detection. In the present study, Ab against embryonic hemoglobin e was used in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy in order to determine if specificity for fetal NRBC detection could be increased.