ABO incompatibility and haemolytic disease of the Newborn

Abstract

From 1,000 unselected live births all babies showing jaundice in the first 24 hours were investigated. Twenty-one such babies were found. Seven were diagnosed as being examples of Rhesus haemolytic disease and these are excluded from this series. Fourteen were considered to have ABO haemolytic disease, and for this evidence is presented. ABO haemolytic disease can occur in clinically recognizable degree as often as once in every 71 births and may arise in 7% of AB incompatible mother-child pairs. It is thus about three times more common than haemolytic disease due to Rhesus incompatibility. There is always a reason for jaundice within 24 hours of birth. The diagnosis of 'physiological jaundice' should not be invoked to explain such a happening.