Megan Garlapow, PhD

All articles by Megan Garlapow, PhD

• Fetal cfDNA testing can reduce unnecessary care during pregnancy

  Fetal cfDNA testing can determine if a fetus lacks an antigen that could cause HDFN, avoiding further unnecessary tests and anxiety.

• Genetic testing for Rh variants improves transfusion safety

  Comprehensive Rh blood typing and genetic analysis can help prevent HDFN and reduce transfusion-related complications.

• Case study: Blood bank data exchange strengthens HDFN care

  Better transfusion record sharing through the Alloantibody Exchange can prevent dangerous delays in identifying antibodies that cause HDFN.

• Study finds iron overload common in infants with Rh-mediated HDFN

  Most infants in the study with Rh-linked hemolytic disease were born with high iron levels that can persist for up to a year.

• Clearer guidelines needed in HDFN outcome reporting

  A review of 238 studies on HDFN showed 104 different outcomes reported with major differences in how they were defined and measured.

• Study links severe jaundice to marker of heart stress in infants

  Infants with severe neonatal jaundice, a symptom of HDFN, showed higher blood levels of a heart injury marker in a recent study.

• Screening detects hidden risks for hemolytic disease in pregnancy

  A Nigerian study found that nearly 5% of pregnant women carried antibodies that could cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn.

• Study finds warm autoantibodies in pregnancy pose no harm to babies

  A recent study found no cases of HDFN or autoimmune hemolytic anemia in women or their children despite the presence of these antibodies.

• Hemolytic disease linked to intestinal issues in infants

  Newborns with HDFN face a greater risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous intestinal condition, especially after certain treatments.

• Advanced genetic testing may help prevent severe HDFN

  Genetic blood testing can spot rare blood type differences that standard tests may miss, which could help prevent HDFN.