Study on Detection of Rhesus-D Antibody and Titre of Chittagong Division

Introduction lood groups are genetically determined which cannot be changed. 1 All blood group systems are not equally important from clinical point of view. The clinical importance of a blood group antigen depends on the frequency of occurrence of corresponding antibody and their ability to haemolyse the red cells in vivo. 2 On the basis of the criteria among 23 blood group systems, ABO and Rhesus blood group system are of major clinical importance because they produce haemolytic disease of the new born (HDN) and haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR). 3 In Rhesus blood group system there are 50 blood group antigens of which D is the most immunogenic. 4 Rhesus antigen is present only at RBC membrane. Passage of Rh-D positive blood to the Rh-D negative mothers either by trans-placental haemorrhage or transfusion, sensitise the women to produce the anti-D antibody. All negative mothers don't produce antibody necessarily after trans-placental haemorrhage. Rhesus-D antibody production depends upon some factors like amount of D positive blood transfused, Rh phenotype and sex of the fetus. Another most important factor for antibody production is 'responder' or 'non-responder' status of the Rh-D negative mothers. 'Nonresponder' means repeated stimulation by RhD positive blood fails to produce antibody development. The purpose of our study is to find out the incidence of Rh-D antibody production and its titre.