Rhesus Disease of the Newborn
Rhesus disease of the newborn occurs as a result of incompatibility between the rhesus status of the mother and that of the child. The Rhesus factor is one of the parts of our blood grouping system, and it refers to the presence or absence of the rhesus antigen. Most people are rhesus positive, which means they have the antigen. If a woman is rhesus negative, and she's carrying a rhesus positive baby, if some of the baby's blood cells leak into the mother's circulation then the mother may produce antibodies, which can cross the placenta and destroy the foetal blood cells, causing anaemia in the foetus. As a result of this the foetal liver, where blood cells are made, works to produce more red blood cells and by so doing reduces the amount of protein that it makes. In severe cases the foetus develops oedema - called hydrops foetalis. The likelihood of developing the disease increases with each successive pregnancy when the baby is rhesus positive. The development of antibodies can be monitored during the course of the pregnancy in any woman who is rhesus negative.
Treatment to prevent the development of any antibodies using antiserum whenever there is a possibility that there might be mixing of foetal and maternal blood may help to prevent the disease. Babies who are born anaemic as result of rhesus haemolytic disease may require transfusion. In some severe cases this may be needed before birth, and can be carried out in utero.
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