A serene end to pregnancy thanks to this test made possible by Héma-Québec
12,000 pregnant women to benefit each year from 2026 onwards
Every year in Quebec, some 12,000 pregnant women with RhD-negative blood groups receive anti-D immunoglobulin as a preventive measure against hemolytic disease of the newborn and fetus. This disease can occur when, unlike the mother, the fetus has a positive RhD blood group. The mother’s immune system can then develop antibodies against the RhD-positive red blood cells of the fetus, which it wrongly perceives as a threat.
At present, it is not possible to know a baby’s blood type before birth. As a result, of the 12,000 pregnant women receiving anti-D immunoglobulin, 5,000 do not need it, and run the unnecessary risk of side effects.
Having received an official mandate from the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the aim of the Fetal RhD project is to provide access to a test which, at the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy, will determine whether the fetus is RhD positive or negative by simply taking blood from the mother.
This means that 12,000 pregnant women will benefit from the test each year:
The project is being piloted in 3 Quebec university hospitals:
All tests are performed at Héma-Québec’s head office in Montreal.
The aim is to launch the project across Quebec in the spring of 2026.
The Fetal RhD project represents a major step forward in North America, synonymous with a more serene end to pregnancy for expectant mothers.
Thanks to your donations, Quebec will be a pioneer.
This program is part of Héma-Québec’s strategic plan to meet the essential needs of immunodeficient people in Quebec. These people must receive medications derived from plasma processing once a month or more.
Héma-Québec offers cutting-edge training to blood bank technicians around the world, enabling them to improve their problem-solving techniques for erythrocyte immunology problems encountered in their laboratories.
The Héma-Québec Foundation is proud to participate in the financing of the RhD fetal project, which will enable future Quebec mothers to know the blood type of their fetus. Every year in Quebec, some 12,000 pregnant women have an RhD-negative blood group.
Quebec’s First Nations have much more than their own culture and history. Their genetic profiles, too, are unique on the planet! This uniqueness poses a particular challenge, especially given their marked under-representation in Quebec’s stem cell donor registry…
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An official tax receipt will be issued for donations of $20 or more.
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Héma-Québec Foundation
4045 Côte-Vertu Blvd.
Montréal (Québec) H4R 2W7
Telephone: 514 832-5000 # 5753
fondation@hema-quebec.qc.ca
