Haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) results when maternal antibodies attack the fetal red blood cells, leading to a haemolytic anaemia and accumulation of bilirubin in the fetus or newborn. It can affect the newborn to varying degrees of severity. When the condition occurs in utero, the term is expanded into haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) (or erythroblastosis fetalis).
The condition is now uncommon due to the practice of giving anti-immunoglobulin when the mother is Rhesus negative.
On this page:
Clinical presentation
The newborn can present with a number of features including:
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clinical evidence of a fetal anaemia
generalised body oedema
Pathology
The condition usually results from a feto-maternal blood group incompatibility such as:
This results in the destruction of fetal red blood cells by maternal IgG antibodies that cross the placenta.
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
May show evidence of or complications related to a fetal anaemia such as:
development of hydrops fetalis
increase in fetal middle cerebral arterial (MCA) Doppler time average mean velocity (TAMV): may occur before precipitation of fetal hydrops 1
increase in fetal middle cerebral arterial (MCA) Doppler peak systolic velocity (PSV): may occur before precipitation of fetal hydrops 2
Treatment and prognosis
Depending on the extent of severity, blood transfusion may be required.
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