Background: Rh immunoglobulin (RhIg) is usually detectable a maximum of 12 to 14 weeks after administration. Positive antibodies beyond this time frame suggests alloimmunization.
Case: A woman had three pregnancies over a 6-month period, with two first-trimester losses. She received RhIg in the first pregnancy but not in the second. Two months after the second loss, in her third pregnancy, she received RhIg at week 6 due to first-trimester bleeding. She was subsequently anti-D antibody positive up to week 28 with antibodies too low to titre, leading to confusion about whether alloimmunization had occurred.
Conclusion: Rh Ig administration led to positive anti-D antibodies lasting 22 weeks, suggesting keeping this differential diagnosis in mind when suspecting alloimmunization with positive antibodies at levels too low to titre.
Keywords: Rh isoimmunization; Rho (D) immune globulin; obstetrics, prenatal care; pregnancy complications; pregnancy trimester, first.
Copyright © 2019 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.