Minor Blood Group Incompatibility in Patients with Neonatal Jaundice: A Single Centre Study in Egypt

Abstract Background Neonatal jaundice is the most common cause of hospitalization in the neonatal period. It is estimated that 60% of term newborns develop jaundice and 2% reach severe hyperbilirubinaemia. Aim and Objectives to study the frequency of cases of minor blood groups incompatibilities in patients with neonatal jaundice necessitating management. Subjects and Methods This prospective observational study was done on 220 patients in Neonatal intensive care units at Ain Shams University Hospitals diagnosed with neonatal jaundice and needed further investigations and treatment. patients were divided into 5 groups (RH, RH& ABO, minor blood group, non- hemolytic and ABO group). minor blood group patients identified according to positive antibody screen. Result 4.5% of the studied neonates were minor blood groups, Total serum bilirubin was significantly higher in minor blood group than the other four groups RH, Rh and ABO, non- hemolytic and ABO groups with (p-value=0.037, 0.006, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively). 50% of minor blood group needed exchange transfusion which was significantly higher than ABO group with p-value< 0.001. Conclusion minor blood group incompatibility compromise (4.5%) of the studied neonates who needed therapeutic management of hyperbilirubinemia, the higher level of total serum bilirubin, and more frequent need of exchange transfusion were seen in the patients with minor blood group incompatibilities compared with the other patients. Minor blood group incompatibility other than anti-D remains under diagnosed entity which needs to be kept in mind among cases of hemolytic disease of newborn.