The Clinical Assessment of Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn

Abstract

There can be little doubt that at the present stage of our knowledge exchange transfusion is the best method of treating haemolytic disease of the new- born, at least in moderate and severe cases. Recently this viewpoint has been conclusively con- firmed by widely based and controlled trials of British workers (Mollison and Walker, 1952; In previous years, however, there was a considerable difficulty in differentiating those infants, in whom exchange * Dr. Cech, of our obstetrical staff, has shown that advanced haemolytic anaemia of the foetus is frequently accompanied by a continuous murmur in the foetal heart sounds. This finding in a sensized pregnant woman can be very useful in deciding delivery before term (Cech, 1953).