Saline Anti‐Rh(D) and Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn

摘要

Summary.The majority of Rh(D) negative immunised mothers have some saline agglutinating anti‐D in their sera during subsequent pregnancies. This saline antibody is related to a complex effect on the severity of haemolytic disease of the foetus: the stillbirth rate is reduced while the severity of disease among liveborn infants increases slightly with rising titres of saline anti‐D. Also, when the observed saline anti‐D titre is I the severity of disease is markedly incresed while the protective effect of saline anti‐D on the stillbirth rate fails to operate. The significance of this is discussed.Mothers of group A and especially group B are more liable to form saline anti‐D, while the severity of HDN increases if the mother is of grou