Red Blood Cell Antibody Screen
Reviewed
This blood test looks for RBC antibodies that your immune system makes when exposed to foreign red blood cells. It is used before blood transfusions to help match donor blood and during pregnancy to check for antibodies that could harm the fetus.
Preparation and collection
No special preparation needed.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- Once your body makes RBC antibodies, you will always have them, but they may be too few to show up on a test.
- A positive result requires additional tests to identify the specific antibodies.
- If you have had a previous positive RBC antibody screen, inform your provider, especially before a blood transfusion or during pregnancy.
What to do next
If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
Evidence source
U.S. National Library of Medicine: Red Blood Cell Antibody Screen