Frequency and potential application of HLA antibodies from pregnant women in Mumbai

Antenatal sera from 1334 pregnant women attending the Nowrojee B J Wadia Maternity Hospital and KEM Hospital in Parel, Mumbai were collected and screened for anti HLA A and B antibodies to produce an indigenous HLA tissue typing tray. One hundred and sixty three sera (12.2%) were found positive for HLA antibodies. Nonetheless, the percentage of positive sera were almost the same in women of different parity. Moreover, the incidence of anti-HLA antibodies was correlated with the allelic frequencies in the Maharastrian population. Thus in India, collection and screening of sera from pregnant females is a simple and cost-effective method of acquiring polyclonal sera for routine use in tissue typing.