Disease-severity in subsequent pregnancies with RhD immunization: a
nationwide cohort
Abstract
OBJECTIVE(S): to evaluate the severity of HDFN in subsequent pregnancies
with RhD immunization and to identify predictive factors for severe
disease. DESIGN: prospective cohort. SETTING: the Netherlands.
POPULATION: nationwide selection of all pregnant women with RhD
antibodies. METHODS: women with two subsequent RhD immunized pregnancies
with RhD-positive children after antibodies were detected were included.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: the severity of HDFN in the first and subsequent
pregnancy at risk. RESULTS: 62 RhD immunized women with a total of 150
RhD-positive children were included. The severity of HDFN increased
significantly in the subsequent pregnancy (P<.001), although
it remained equal or even decreased in 44% of women. When antibodies
were already detected at first trimester screening in the first
immunized pregnancy, severe HDFN in the next pregnancy was uncommon
(22%), especially when no therapy or only non-intensive phototherapy
was indicated during the first pregnancy (6%), or if the ADCC result
remained <10%. Contrarily, women with antibodies detected
during the first pregnancy of a RhD positive child (>= 27th
week), most often before they had ever received RhIg prophylaxis, were
most prone for severe disease in a subsequent pregnancy (48%).
CONCLUSION(S): RhD-mediated HDFN in a subsequent pregnancy is generally
more severe than in the first pregnancy at risk and can be estimated
using moment of antibody detection and severity in the first immunized
pregnancy. Women developing antibodies in their first pregnancy of a
RhD-positive child are at highest risk of severe disease in the next
pregnancy.