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Intravenous drug abuse causes Rh immunization.
- Source :
-
Vox sanguinis [Vox Sang] 1991; Vol. 61 (2), pp. 96-8. - Publication Year :
- 1991
-
Abstract
- Intravenous drug abuse causes many health problems. From March 1989 to January 1990 of 27 Rh-negative women (28 pregnancies) referred to our centre, 4 women (5 pregnancies) were Rh immunized due to the sharing of needles and blood with their Rh-positive partners. Severe hydrops was present in 4 of their 5 fetuses when they were first seen at 17-35 weeks of gestation. Only the fetus first seen at 35 weeks survived. That infant was moribund at birth and now has evidence of leukomalacia and porencephaly. The fifth fetus, not hydropic, required two intravascular fetal transfusions in order to survive. A fifth woman, immunized in a similar manner, had a spontaneous abortion. These fetuses represent some of the earliest and severest examples of hydrops fetalis ever seen at our centre. The severity of their fetal hemolytic disease is probably due to the fact that their mothers' exposure to Rh(D) antigen by blood sharing was continuous and ongoing. Because of their aberrant behaviour, these women have suffered irreversible reproductive damage.
- Subjects :
- Abortion, Spontaneous etiology
Adult
Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine
Brain abnormalities
Cocaine adverse effects
Female
Fetal Death etiology
Fetal Diseases etiology
Fetal Diseases therapy
Humans
Male
Pregnancy
Hydrops Fetalis etiology
Pregnancy Complications immunology
Rh Isoimmunization etiology
Substance Abuse, Intravenous complications
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0042-9007
- Volume :
- 61
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Vox sanguinis
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 1763505
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1423-0410.1991.tb00253.x