Patient's question:
When I was dating my wife, I had no idea that blood type incompatibility could cause the child to develop hemolytic disease. It wasn't until we were discussing marriage and undergoing pre-marital health checks that I learned about the potential problems caused by blood type incompatibility. I want to know what the mechanism of neonatal hemolytic disease is?Doctor's answer:
Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) refers to the blood type antibodies produced by the mother due to blood type incompatibility between the mother and fetus, which are not matched with the blood type antigens of the fetus. These antibodies enter the fetus through the placenta, causing homologous immune hemolysis. It has been found that there is blood type incompatibility between the Rh blood group system and the ABO blood group system. Maternal-fetal Rh blood group incompatibility and ABO blood group incompatibility are the main causes of hemolytic disease of the newborn. The blood type of the fetus is determined by both parents. If the blood type antigen inherited from the father of the fetus cannot be provided to the mother, the red blood cells of the fetus enter the mother's body and produce corresponding antibodies, which then enter the fetus through the placenta, leading to an immune response and hemolysis between the antigen and antibody.