Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN)

Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) occurs when a mother’s immune system produces antibodies that attack her baby’s red blood cells. This often happens if the mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive, inherited from the father. The antibodies can cross the placenta, leading to the destruction of the baby's red blood cells, causing anemia and jaundice. HDN can be serious, but it’s preventable with a treatment called Rh immunoglobulin (RhIg) given to Rh-negative mothers during pregnancy and after delivery, reducing the risk of the mother creating harmful antibodies in future pregnancies.