Two years' experience with Rh hemolytic disease reporting.

California law, since January 1 1970, has required that all pregnant women, regardless of outcome of delivery, be tested for Rho(D) type, that the mother and physician be notified of the result and that hospitals providing service to newborns report all cases of Rho(D) Hemolytic Disease to the State Department of Public Health. Although there has been only a gradual decrease in the number of deaths due to Rho(D) Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn since 1950, there has been a precipitous fall in the past two years. Since the commencement of reporting of the disease to the State Health Department the number of cases has also dropped dramatically. It is felt that because of our conscientiously administered reporting law the morbidity and mortality figures from HDN in California are accurate, in contrast to results obtained in most other states. It is believed that this report reflects the first really accurate look at a large population for the incidence and mortality from Rho(D) HDN since the advent of widespread use of anti-Rho(D) gamma globulin. Review of the recent literature failed to reveal definitive data on recent incidence and mortality trends for Rho(D) HDN. A survey of state health departments also failed to produce data comparable with California's.A number of factors have played a part in reducing the incidence and mortality from Rho(D) HDN in California-namely, required testing of pregnant women combined with the almost routine use of of anti-Rho(D) immune globulin in eligible women, early recognition and treatment of Rho(D) HDN, and the reduction in family size with an increasing percentage of primiparous mothers.