Laboratory Findings in Autoimmune Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN)

 

Usually the mother experiences an autoimmune hemolytic anemia before and/or during the pregnancy.

 

The cause of the autoantibody may be:

(1) lymphoproliferative disease

(2) drug

(3) autoimmune disease

 

Laboratory findings:

(1) The neonate's erythrocytes usually has a positive direct antiglobulin testing (DAT).

(2) The maternal autocontrol and DAT are positive.

(3) The maternal serum has an IgG antibody directed against an antigen on maternal and fetal RBCs.

(4) The findings cannot be explain by alloimmune antibodies (anti-ABO, anti-D, antibodies to other antigens)