title: Severe hydrops in the infant of a Rhesus D-positive mother due to anti-c antibodies diagnosed antenatally: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhesus haemolytic disease of the newborn is a prototype of maternal isoimmunisation and fetal haemolytic disease. There are other rare blood group antigens capable of causing alloimmunisation and haemolytic disease such as c, C, E, Kell and Duffy. In India, after the confirmation of a newborn's blood group, antibodies are screened only if the mother is Rehsus D-negative negative and the father is Rhesus D-positive. Hydrops in Rhesus positive women are investigated along the lines of non-immune hydrops.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a patient from India where irregular antibodies were requested for an O-positive 26-year-old mother in order to investigate fetal hydrops. Anti-c antibody was revealed and the fetus was treated successfully with compatible O negative and c negative intrauterine blood transfusions. The baby was treated postnatally with double volume exchange transfusion with the same compatible blood, and was discharged 30 days after birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We highlight the importance of conducting irregular antibody screening for women with significant obstetric history and fetal hydrops. This could assist in diagnosing and successfully treating the fetus with appropriate antigen negative cross-matched compatible blood. We note, however, that anti-c immunoglobulin is not yet readily available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India. shilpasingla1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.forename: Sunesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Kallol Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Jai Bhagwan
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Garima
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kachhawa