title: Role of rhesus alloimmunization in the etiology of late fetal death in Maputo.
abstract: Grand multiparous parturients with unexplained late fetal death (n = 70) and with surviving newborns (n = 755) were analyzed and compared regarding blood group in general and presence of D and Du antigens in particular. In the stillbirth group, none of the parturients had any signs of disease (syphilis, preeclampsia, placental abruption, severe anemia or fever) that could be associated with the fetal death. It was found that none of the parturients with stillbirth were D- and Du-negative while 28/755 (3.71%) of parturients with liveborn babies were D- and Du-negative. It is concluded that, among grand multiparous parturients with otherwise unexplained late fetal death, the risk of having fetomaternal rhesus incompatibility as stillbirth etiology is insignificant. The advantage of introducing anti-D immunoglobulin for prophylaxis against rhesus alloimmunization would presumably be insignificant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergström
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System