Maternal anti-D concentrations and outcome in rhesus haemolytic disease of the newborn

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1982 Jul 31;285(6338):327-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.285.6338.327.

Abstract

The relation between maternal anti-D concentrations, measured against the British working standard, and outcome of rhesus-sensitised pregnancies was studied. There is a clear relation between increasing anti-D concentrations and the chance of a severely affected baby. Of those pregnancies (78) where serial anti-D concentrations remained below 4 IU/ml, no baby had a cord haemoglobin below 10 g/dl and three had exchange transfusions. In contrast, of those mothers (106) with anti-D concentrations above 4 IU/ml, 23 had babies with a cord haemoglobin below 10 g/dl and 79 babies had exchange transfusions. It is suggested that those pregnancies where anti-D concentrations remain below 4 IU/ml represent a relatively safe group in which amniocentesis may be avoided.

MeSH terms

  • Bilirubin / blood
  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / blood
  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / immunology*
  • Erythroblastosis, Fetal / therapy
  • Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood
  • Female
  • Fetal Blood / analysis
  • Hemoglobins / analysis
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Isoantibodies / analysis*
  • Pregnancy
  • Prognosis
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System*
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin

Substances

  • Hemoglobins
  • Isoantibodies
  • Rh-Hr Blood-Group System
  • Rho(D) Immune Globulin
  • Bilirubin