Anti‐D in a‘D Positive’Mother Giving Rise to Severe Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn

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Abstract
An Rh positive woman having the Rh(D) variant designated DVI formed a potent anti-D which caused a severe haemolytic disease in the infant. The infant received three exchange transfusions within the first 21 hours after delivery and, because of a 'late anaemia', three additional blood transfusions during the first 3 months of life. The authors point out the distinction between D variant antigens, where certain epitopes of the D antigen are lacking, and qualitatively normal D antigens with a reduced reactivity, Du. Women with D variant antigens should be subject to the same antenatal serological control as those who are Rh(D) negative, and if they form anti-D the infant should be controlled as in other cases where haemolytic disease of the newborn is suspected.