ABO/Rh incompatibility in neonatal jaundice: a tertiary hospital based cross sectional study

Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, defined as a total serum bilirubin level above 5 mg/dl (86 μmol/l). Haemolytic disease of the newborn due to blood group incompatibilities between mother and foetus is one of the commonest cause of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn. Methods: A Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted among newborns admitted with jaundice. Results: In our study 51 cases of neonatal jaundice were due to ABO incompatibility and among them 24 were having O-A incompatibility and 27 were having O-B incompatibility. The mean serum bilirubin in patients with ABO incompatibility were higher (24.8) than those without ABO incompatibility. Conclusions: In the present study, one third of newborns with neonatal jaundice were having ABO incompatibility. The mean serum bilirubin in patients with ABO incompatibility were higher than those without ABO incompatibility. This highlights the importance of recognizing ABO Rh incompatibility in neonatal jaundice.