The management of hemolytic disease in the fetus and newborn. 1997

J Bowman
Rh Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Rh hemolytic disease (HDN) is the prototype of maternal alloimmunization and fetal hemolytic disease. There are other antigens capable of causing alloimmunization and hemolytic disease such as c, Kell, and Fya. Rh immunization is usually caused by a prior Rh positive fetal maternal transplacental hemorrhage, which occurs in at least 75% of pregnancies. Unless treated, hemolytic disease will result in kernicterus or fetal hydrops in 25% of cases, respectively. Neonatal exchange transfusion has eradicated kernicterus. Measures available to predict severity of fetal hemolytic disease are maternal antibody titers, prior history of hemolytic disease, in vitro cell-mediated maternal antibody functional assays, amniotic fluid spectrophotometry, ultrasound fetal assessment, and fetal blood sampling. The Rh or Kell antigen status of the fetus may be determined by amniotic fluid PCR testing. The management of the severely affected fetus consists of early delivery, with or without fetal transfusions, depending on the gestation of the fetus. With the use of these diagnostic and treatment measures, perinatal mortality from hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn has been reduced in Manitoba, population one million, from 100 per year in the early 1940s to 1 every 3 years in the mid 1990s.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007111 Immunity, Cellular Manifestations of the immune response which are mediated by antigen-sensitized T-lymphocytes via lymphokines or direct cytotoxicity. This takes place in the absence of circulating antibody or where antibody plays a subordinate role. Cell-Mediated Immunity,Cellular Immune Response,Cell Mediated Immunity,Cell-Mediated Immunities,Cellular Immune Responses,Cellular Immunities,Cellular Immunity,Immune Response, Cellular,Immune Responses, Cellular,Immunities, Cell-Mediated,Immunities, Cellular,Immunity, Cell-Mediated,Response, Cellular Immune
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007518 Isoantibodies Antibodies from an individual that react with ISOANTIGENS of another individual of the same species. Alloantibodies
D011237 Predictive Value of Tests In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D001805 Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine In utero transfusion of BLOOD into the FETUS for the treatment of FETAL DISEASES, such as fetal erythroblastosis (ERYTHROBLASTOSIS, FETAL). Fetal Transfusion,Intrauterine Transfusion,Blood Transfusions, Intrauterine,Fetal Transfusions,Intrauterine Blood Transfusion,Intrauterine Blood Transfusions,Intrauterine Transfusions,Transfusion, Fetal,Transfusion, Intrauterine,Transfusion, Intrauterine Blood,Transfusions, Fetal,Transfusions, Intrauterine,Transfusions, Intrauterine Blood
D004899 Erythroblastosis, Fetal A condition characterized by the abnormal presence of ERYTHROBLASTS in the circulation of the FETUS or NEWBORNS. It is a disorder due to BLOOD GROUP INCOMPATIBILITY, such as the maternal alloimmunization by fetal antigen RH FACTORS leading to HEMOLYSIS of ERYTHROCYTES, hemolytic anemia (ANEMIA, HEMOLYTIC), general edema (HYDROPS FETALIS), and SEVERE JAUNDICE IN NEWBORN. Hemolytic Disease of Newborn,Erythroblastosis Fetalis,Erythroblastoses, Fetal,Erythroblastosis Fetali,Fetal Erythroblastoses,Fetal Erythroblastosis,Fetali, Erythroblastosis,Fetalis, Erythroblastosis,Newborn Hemolytic Disease,Newborn Hemolytic Diseases
D005260 Female Females
D005312 Fetal Blood Blood of the fetus. Exchange of nutrients and waste between the fetal and maternal blood occurs via the PLACENTA. The cord blood is blood contained in the umbilical vessels (UMBILICAL CORD) at the time of delivery. Cord Blood,Umbilical Cord Blood,Blood, Cord,Blood, Fetal,Blood, Umbilical Cord,Bloods, Cord,Bloods, Fetal,Bloods, Umbilical Cord,Cord Blood, Umbilical,Cord Bloods,Cord Bloods, Umbilical,Fetal Bloods,Umbilical Cord Bloods
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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