In newborns, hemolytic anemia can result from a mismatch between maternal and fetal blood types. This mismatch provokes the maternal immune system to attack fetal red blood cells. The resulting hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) can cause your baby to develop anemia and jaundice.

Severe red blood cell breakdown results in anemia and high levels of bilirubin in the blood (hyperbilirubinemia). Hemolytic disease of the newborn is a condition that may cause the newborn’s red blood cells to be destroyed rapidly by antibodies from the mother's blood.

Hemolytic disease of the newborn is a condition that occurs when a mother and baby have incompatible blood types, usually because of Rh incompatibility. Another name for this condition is erythroblastosis fetalis.

Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) affects 3/100 000 to 80/100 000 patients per year. It is due to maternal blood group antibodies that cause fetal red cell destruction and in some cases, marrow suppression. This process leads to fetal anemia, and in severe cases can progress to edema, ascites, heart failure, and death.