Erythroblastosis fetalis Health Dictionary

See HAEMOLYTIC DISEASE OF THE NEWBORN.... hydrops fetalis

n. the presence in the blood of the nucleated precursors of the red blood cells (*erythroblasts). This may occur when there is an increase in the rate of red cell production, as in haemorrhagic or haemolytic *anaemia, or in infiltrations of the bone marrow by tumours, etc.... erythroblastosis

a severe but rare haemolytic *anaemia affecting newborn infants due to destruction of the infant’s red blood cells by factors present in the mother’s serum. It is usually caused by incompatibility of the rhesus blood groups between mother and infant (see rhesus factor).... erythroblastosis foetalis