Titers in the Pregnant Woman – the How and the Why?

Educational Track: Technical/Clinical
Topic: Transfusion Medicine
Intended Audience: Hospitals, Hospital Blood Banks, Immunohematology Reference Labs (IRL’s), Laboratory Staff, Managers/Supervisors, Medical Directors, Nurses, Physicians, Residents/Fellows, Students (MD, MT, SBB), Technologists, Transfusion Safety Officers
Teaching Level: Basic to Intermediate

Director/Moderator: Kerry L. O’Brien, MD, Medical Director, Blood Bank, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Speakers: Adam Norfolk, MBA, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM, Lead Technologist Blood Bank, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Scott Shainker, DO, The Annie and Chase Koch Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director, New England Center for Placental Disorders, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Assistant Professor Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Learning Objectives

After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Detail the steps to take when a clinically significant red cell antibody is identified in a pregnant woman.
• Describe recommended steps to take when performing titers.
• Explain the clinical measures that must be taken once a critical titer is reached.
• Discuss the utility and limitations of middle cerebral artery Doppler ultrasonography.
• Describe the role of the transfusion service during an intrauterine transfusion.

Program Description

The indications for and techniques used in performing a red blood cell antibody titer in a pregnant woman will be discussed. The clinical steps taken when a critical titer is reached will be discussed by a maternal fetal medicine specialist.

Registration

Continuing Education Credit

AABB estimates both the live and on-demand version of this eCast each to be eligible for 1 continuing education credits/contact hours for Physicians, California Nurse, California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. The final number of credit(s) and credit types awarded for this program (live or on-demand) will be determined by the program duration. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage.

Disclosures for the planners of this event can be found here. Disclosures for the program faculty are provided at the beginning of the program.

Speaker Biographies

Adam Norfolk received his MLS degree at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. He studied at the University of Texas Medical Branch for his SBB. Adam is currently a Lead Technologist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Blood Bank in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Scott Shainker completed his OB/GYN residency at Boston Medical Center and maternal fetal medicine fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal and Fetal Medicine. He is the Director of the New England Center for Placental Disorders. He is also an Assistant Professor in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School.

Click here for more about the curriculum for the AABB Blood Banking & Transfusion Medicine 101: eCast Series.  AABB eCasts are 60-90-minute interactive, online programs that include a question and answer period. Participants need access to a computer with an active Internet connection to participate. To register for online live and on-demand programs, view AABB’s registration options and pricing here.