Prevalence and pattern of haemolysin antibodies in pregnant women attending Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi

Abstract

Background: Alpha (α) and Beta(β) haemolysin antibodies have been implicated in blood group O pregnant women as the etiologic agent leading to haemolytic disease of new
born. Previous studies in some parts of Nigeria have demonstrated the presence of α and β –haemolys in antibodies among blood group O donors, but there is paucity of data on its prevalence in pregnant women despite the fact that it has been attributed to be responsible for the high prevalence of ABO-haemolytic disease of the newborn seen in Africans.
Aim: To determine the prevalence and pattern of haemolys in antibodies among blood group O pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, for the presence of potentially haemolytic antibodies.
Materials and Methods: Two-hundred and twenty-four (224) pregnant women aged 17 to 40 years were randomly selected and their blood groups were determined, of which one hundred and ten (110) subjects with blood group O were screened for α and β haemolysins using standard tube technique at 37oC, and the results were read  macroscopically after 1hour.The degree of haemolysis was graded as complete partial or trace and no visual trace of haemolysis.
Results: Of the two-hundred and twenty-four (224) samples collected, 110(49.1%) were group O, Of the 110 blood group O samples screened, 46(41.8%) showed the presence of
haemolysin, of which 20(43.5%), 18(39.1%) and 08(17.4) are alpha(α), Beta(β) and Alpha + Beta(α+β) haemolysins respectively. Complete haemolysis was recorded only in Beta
(β) type haemolysin.
Conclusions: This study has shown that the overall prevalence of haemolysins among blood group O pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of ATBUTH is41.8% which is high. The screening of haemolysins in blood group O pregnant women is very important so as to identify women posing great risk to their unborn offspring.