Increased fetal iron load in rhesus hemolytic disease.

There is little information about the iron overload caused by hemolysis in fetuses affected with rhesus hemolytic disease (RHD). The authors therefore studied the iron load in RHD by measuring cord blood ferritin levels in babies affected with RHD and gestational age- and weight-matched controls. Cord blood ferritin levels were higher in babies with RHD. Intrauterine transfusions did not affect the ferritin status of the babies with RHD and there was no correlation between hemoglobin and ferritin levels. The results indicate that there is an increased intrauterine iron load in babies with RHD, independent from intrauterine transfusions and rate of hemolysis.