Blood, 1953, Vol. 8, No. 7, pp. 609-619.
© 1953 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn Infant Caused by
Maternal Sensitization to the Blood Factor hr' (c)
Report of Two Cases with Special Reference to the Etiologic
Significance of Multiple Blood Transfusions in Rh Positive
Women Prior to Gestation
JOSEPH GRUNDORFER M.D.1
1 Rh Center and Department of Laboratories at Newark Beth Israel Hospital,
Newark, N. J.
1. Intragroup Rh incompatibility between an Rh-positive mother and an
Rh-positive infant presents an unusual pattern of maternal isosensitization.
2. The antibody found in the sera of two Rh-positive mothers appeared to be
of anti-hr' (anti-c) specificity.
3. Evidence of hemolytic disease in both infants was found and the findings
directly correlated with this maternal antibody.
4. The welfare of the infant greatly depends on prompt recognition of this
unusual pattern of maternal isosensitization and proper treatment of its disease.
5. An attempt has been made to evaluate the role of multiple transfusions of
Rh-negative blood which had been given to an Rh-positive mother four years
prior to gestation.
6. The wide spacing of several transfusions or transfusion and pregnancy
respectively appears to be probably the most important factor in the development of isosensitization.
7. The possible danger in using Rh-negative blood as a universal safe donor is
briefly discussed.
Submitted on October 23, 1952
Accepted on February 24, 1953
