Evaluation of Some Etiological Factors of Haemolytic Disease of the New Born in Ile-Ife

Abstract

Heamolytic disease of the newborn is a neonatal disease associated with red cells heamolysis resulting from red cell antigens of the foetus and mother red cells antibodies. This study involved a cross sectional laboratory based analytical survey, eighty neonates with pyrexia of unknown origin and twenty neonates apparently healthy were selectected for this study. ABO and Rh blood group, Direct Coombs' test, Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase estimation and blood culture were performed on blood samples collected from each neonate. Blood group O had the highest number of neonates (60% control; 61% test); 80% and 81.3% of the control and test neonates are Rh positive respectively. None of the control subjects are positive to DCT while 5% of test subjects positive to DCT; 4% and 8.7% of the control and test respectively are positive to G6-PD deficiency. The study recorded 0% growth in blood culture of control subjects while 2.5% of the neonates blood samples yielded when cultured. Though prevalence rate of HDN in our society is diminishing gradually based on this study, there is need to look inwardly to other aetiological factors that can cause HDN apart from blood group incompatibility, since sudden infant death is on increase now.