[Incidence of anti-Rho(D) antibody production in Japanese Rho(D)-negative women by Rh incompatibility between mother and fetus, and prognosis of the infants (author's transl)].

The series was collected in 1973-1977 from 15 hospitals in Gunma Prefecture where all pregnant women were Rh-typed and blood samples were checked for antibodies by this laboratory. The total number of Rho(D) negative pregnant women was 435 and of these, 20 had developed antibodies. Three of these 20 patients had received blood transfusions. Six of the antibody containing patients were first immunized during the period of observation. Three of these 6 produced the antibody in the course of a first pregnancy and 2 in second pregnancy and 1 in third. The antibody titers increased after 20th gestational week, especially after 30th through 40th week in most of the patients. Three out of 9 infants, whose mother's antibody titers increased no more than 256 folds by papain treated red cells received phototherapy. In the cases of antibody titers more than 256 folds, 9 out of 11 babies received exchange blood transfusion. The mature infants were all alive healthily. There was no Rho(D) negative woman who repeated intrauterine fetal death by hemolytic disease of the fetuses.