A successful delivery of a baby from a D––/D–– mother with strong anti-Hr₀

We describe the first reported case in Korea of a woman with a D––/D–– phenotype, a high-titer anti-Hr₀, and the successful delivery of her newborn. The mother had a history of spontaneous abortion and artificial termination. In her third pregnancy, a live infant was delivered, but died of severe hemolytic disease of the newborn due to anti-Hr₀in spite of intensive medical intervention. In her fourth pregnancy, at 22 weeks gestation, the titer of anti-Hr₀ was 1024, fetal cells were direct antiglobulin test positive and the blood type was group O, D+ (CDe). We performed plasma exchanges in the mother; however, the titer of antibody rebounded to its initial level after the third plasma exchange. At 26 weeks gestation, cord blood Hb decreased to 7.1 g/dL and three intrauterine transfusions were performed using the mother’s washed red blood cells (RBCs). At 34 weeks gestation, a live baby was delivered by cesarean section. The infant was hydropic with hyperbilirubinemia and severe anemia. However, after two exchange transfusions using the washed RBCs of the mother’s sister, who was also D––/D––, laboratory and clinical findings returned to normal. Immunohematology 2000;16:112–114.