Answer Happy

Mrs. Caton was 38 years old when she became pregnant with her second baby. Blood typing revealed her to be blood group AB Rh-negative and her husband also as blood group AB but he was Rh-positive. Their first child was born by vaginal delivery and was healthy and there were no unusual complications with the delivery. On delivery of their second child, the baby was jaundiced and suffering from hyperbilirubinemia, but with no evidence of infection. The baby's blood group was found to be group AB RhD positive, and his direct antiglobulin test (DAT) result was positive and red cell elution studies demonstrated the presence of anti-D alloantibodies. a. With reference to the baby's symptoms and diagnostic test results, discuss what sort of hypersensitive response is causing the symptoms in the baby. (3 marks) b. Describe the immune mechanisms that give rise to the hypersensitive response in this particular clinical scenario. (4 marks) c. Could the mother have been treated in some way so as to avoid the symptoms occurring in the second baby and what treatment plan would you recommend for the baby. (3 marks)