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Transplacental Passage of Red Cells in Man

Nature volume 190, pages 922–923 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

THE purpose of this communication is to report the results of an investigation into the frequency and magnitude of hæmorrhage from the fœtal to the maternal circulation in a random series of deliveries. The total separation of the maternal and fœtal circulations was a long-held biological belief, and was only first seriously questioned in 1941, when the mechanism of hæmolytic disease of the newborn was elucidated and Levine1 showed that Rh iso-immunization occurred less often than expected in ABO incompatible matings. Because of these Rh findings, it was postulated that the antigen was carried across the placenta into the maternal circulation by intact erythrocytes.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Sub-Department of Genetics, University of Liverpool,

    RONALD FINN, C. A. CLARKE, W. T. A. DONOHOE, R. B. McCONNELL & P. M. SHEPPARD

  2. Regional Blood Transfusion Service, Liverpool

    D. LEHANE

Authors
  1. RONALD FINN
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  2. C. A. CLARKE
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  3. W. T. A. DONOHOE
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  4. R. B. McCONNELL
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  5. P. M. SHEPPARD
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  6. D. LEHANE
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FINN, R., CLARKE, C., DONOHOE, W. et al. Transplacental Passage of Red Cells in Man. Nature 190, 922–923 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/190922a0

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