Test Directory

• Base Line Titer
• Follow Up Titer

Results of a titration are used to determine whether and when to initiate other means of fetal monitoring.

This test is primarily used for prenatal testing. It is a semiquantitative technique used to estimate the strengths of an antibody. All clinically significant alloantibodies known to cause hemolytic disease of the newborn should be titered.

An initial Antibody Titer will be performed for all initial prenatal specimens that have a clinically significant antibody with reactivity 1+ or greater detected in the Type and Antibody Screen. Subsequent titers should be requested by the physician.

Results are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest serum dilution that causes macroscopic agglutination.

Preferred Specimen Type: Whole Blood

Preferred Collection Container: 1 Pink Top (EDTA)

Alternate Collection Container: 2 Lavender Top (EDTA)

Desired Specimen Volume: 6 mL

Minimum Acceptable Volume: 3 mL

The specimen tube shall be properly labeled with the following 3 independent identifiers for inpatients and outpatients:

1. Patient's full name
2. Date of birth
3. Medical record number

The labels shall also include the following verifiers:

1. Date and time of collection
2. Initials/tech code of phlebotomist

Exception Criteria:

• Trauma -ED patient: Patients with unknown name and date of birth, medical record number and temporary name are acceptable.
• Good Shepherd Rehab: Typenex band ID is used as an additional patient identifier

Non-hospitalized patients: Submit specimen with a completed Blood Bank Requisition (LAB-04) Form. Transfusion and pregnancy history in the past 3 months should be included.

i. Transport to the laboratory at room temperature within 24 hours of collection

ii. Transport to the laboratory refrigerated past 24 hours of collection

• Mislabeled
• Insufficient volume
• Inappropriate specimen type

• Anti-K titer >1
• All other alloantibodies titer >16