FREQUANCY OF ABO AND RHESUS INCOMPATIBILITY IN NEONATAL JAUNDICE

Background: jaundice is the commonest medical condition affecting infants in first week of life. the cause is bilirubin deposition in the skin. jaundice in newborn is a result of increased RBC destruction and decreased bilirubin elimination. Aim of study: The aim of this study is prescribe the frequency and severity of Rh and ABO incompatibility in neonates admitted to Pediatrics Neonatology unit, al-Zahraa teaching Hospital, Najaf, Iraq. Patients and methods: This descriptive study done in neonatal intensive care unit, in al- Zahraa teaching hospital ,Najaf ,Iraq. 300 neonate admitted to neonatal unit from period of first of May 2014 to august 2014 with jaundice were included in the study. Results: from 300 neonate with jaundice , 144( 48%) were female and 156( 52% ) male , the frequency of ABO , combined ABO and RH and RH incompatibility in neonates with jaundice was 99(33%), 36(12%), 51 ( 17%) respectively . 15(22.7%) of neonate with ABO and 21( 31.8%) with RH incompatibility treated with exchange transfusion. While 4 (1.3 %) and 10 (3.3 %) of patient with ABO and RH incompatibility respectively developed sign of kernicterus on discharge. Conclusion: out of 300 neonate presented with jaundice , most common hemolytic cause was ABO-incompatibility 99( 33%), followed by Rh –incompatibility 51(17%), Rh –incompatibility is more severe than ABO , 21(31.8%) of patients with RH incompatibility treated with exchange transfusion and 10(3.3%) of them discharge with sign of kernicterus.