haemolytic disease of the newborn
Last reviewed 10/2023
Haemolytic disease of the newborn is said to occur when haemolysis of a neonate's red blood cells that is most often caused by antibody from the mother - rhesus incompatibility or ABO incompatibility.
Other causes of haemolytic disease of the newborn include red blood cell metabolic disorders - for example, G-6-PD deficiency, pyruvate kinase deficiency and red cell morphology disorders - for example, hereditary spherocytosis, hereditary elliptocytosis.