Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn due to Rh(D) incompatibility: A preventable disease that still produces significant morbidity and mortality in children

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 20;15(7):e0235807. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235807. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

In the mid-20th century, Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, caused by maternal alloimmunization to the Rh(D) blood group antigen expressed by fetal red blood cells (i.e., "Rh disease"), was a major cause of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, with the regulatory approval, in 1968, of IgG anti-Rh(D) immunoprophylaxis to prevent maternal sensitization, the prospect of eradicating Rh disease was at hand. Indeed, the combination of antenatal and post-partum immunoprophylaxis is ~99% effective at preventing maternal sensitization to Rh(D). To investigate global compliance with this therapeutic intervention, we used an epidemiological approach to estimate the current annual number of pregnancies worldwide involving an Rh(D)-negative mother and an Rh(D)-positive fetus. The annual number of doses of anti-Rh(D) IgG required for successful immunoprophylaxis for these cases was then calculated and compared with an estimate of the annual number of doses of anti-Rh(D) produced and provided worldwide. Our results suggest that ~50% of the women around the world who require this type of immunoprophylaxis do not receive it, presumably due to a lack of awareness, availability, and/or affordability, thereby putting hundreds of thousands of fetuses and neonates at risk for Rh disease each year. The global failure to provide this generally acknowledged standard-of-care to prevent Rh disease, even 50 years after its availability, contributes to an enormous, continuing burden of fetal and neonatal disease and provides a critically important challenge to the international health care system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / epidemiology
  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / immunology
  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Pregnancy
  • Rh Isoimmunization / epidemiology
  • Rh Isoimmunization / immunology
  • Rh Isoimmunization / therapy*
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / immunology*
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • RHO(D) antibody
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin

Grants and funding

This study was sponsored by an unrestricted grant from Kedrion S.p.A. (https://www.kedrion.com) to IQVIA Solutions Italy S.r.l., which then provided support in the form of salaries for Valeria Pegoraro and Duccio Urbinati. Nonetheless, Kedrion S.p.A. had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, the decision to submit a manuscript for publication, or the preparation or editing of the manuscript. The funder provided support in the form of salaries for authors Valeria Pegoraro and Duccio Urbinat], but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.