Trauma and pregnancy: Is flow cytometry detection and quantification of fetal red blood cells useful?

To assess whether positive flow cytometry quantification of fetal red blood cells is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in cases of mild trauma during pregnancy. A retrospective database study was conducted at a single tertiary center between 2013 and 2019. All pregnant women with viable gestation involved in trauma who underwent flow cytometry quantification of fetal red blood cells were included in the study. Flow cytometry was considered positive (≥0.03/≥30 ml). Composite adverse maternal and neonatal outcome was defined as one or more of the following: intrauterine fetal death, placental abruption, pre-term birth