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Apt test

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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The Apt test is used to determine the source of blood in stool or vomitus in a neonate - it detects whether the blood is neonatal or swallowed maternal.

The test is based on the different responses of adult and fetal haemoglobin - a pink solution implies fetal haemoglobin, a yellow-brown solution implies adult haemoglobin, and thus confirms swallowed maternal blood.

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