Hematopoietic progenitors cell donation from healthy female donors during pregnancy, a report of 10 cases

Abstract Background The golden rule when collecting hematopoietic progenitors (HPs) from healthy volunteers is "donor safety". Pregnancy is an absolute contraindication for HPs collection from unrelated donors. Collection from a related pregnant-donor is sometimes considered based on the urgency of the transplant indication and the available alternatives. Limited data exist about the safety and efficacy of this practice. Methods A retrospective chart review of the institution transplant database to summarize the safety and efficacy of HPs donation from pregnant donors. Results Ten cases of HPs donation from pregnant donors were identified. Six donated a bone marrow graft while four donated a peripheral blood graft. The median age of donors was 27.5 years. The median volume of the collected product was 521 ml (128–1160 ml), the median number of TNC in the graft was 252 × 108 (30.5–794 × 108), the median TNC concentration in the graft was 37 × 106 per ml (4.7–214.6 × 106 per ml). The median number of CD34 in the graft was 142 × 106 (6–763 × 106), the median CD34 concentration in the graft was 20 × 104 per ml (2–206 × 104 per ml). There were no safety issues or signals related to the procedure. Conclusion HPs collection from pregnant donors is relatively safe. This case series provides valuable information for practicing transplant physicians in order to counsel pregnant donors when this scenario is encountered in clinical practice.