Neonatal Jaundice: A Study of the Incidence in Children of Rh (D) Negative and 0 Rh (D) Positive Mothers.

Abstract

Despite advances in neonatal care, neonatal jaundice remains a common problem in maternity wards. The present retrospective epidemiological study collected data on a sample of 710 newborns and compared the incidence of neonatal jaundice in infants born to Rh (D) negative and 0 Rh (D) positive mothers. The primary aim was to determine whether the higher incidence of maternal alloimmunisation in newborns was causally related to a potentially higher incidence of neonatal jaundice in newborns of 0 Rh (D) positive mothers. To the end, we investigated a possible association between the incidence of neonatal jaundice in 0 Rh (D) positive mothers and the neonatal blood group. The incidence of neonatal jaundice was not found to differ between maternal blood groups. We discuss new preventive measures that may reduce the incidence of neonatal jaundice and thereby reduce the length of hospital stay.