ESTIMATION OF ANTIBODY PROTEIN IN AMNIOTIC FLUID TO PREDICT SEVERITY IN RHESUS HAEMOLYTIC DISEASE

Summary

Using rhesus antibody quantitation in amniotic fluid samples as a supplement to Liley's spectrophotometric method, the accuracy of prediction of severity of rhesus haemolytic disease has been improved from 77 to 90 per cent. When the antibody protein level was less than 0.2 μg. per ml. the cord blood haemoglobin value was more than 11.0 g. per 100 ml. However, when the antibody protein value was greater than 0.6 μg. per ml. the cord blood haemoglobin level was less than 8.0 g. per 100 ml. In 32 of 34 rhesus (D) negative babies the amniotic fluid contained neglible amounts of anti-D.