The absence of spherocytes on the peripheral blood smear in a case of suspected HDFN usually indicates that which of the following is the most likely cause of the condition?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

ABO HDFN is typically caused by incompatibility between the mother's blood type and the baby's blood type, leading to hemolysis of the baby's red blood cells. However, in ABO HDFN, the mother's antibodies do not typically cause spherocytosis, which is the rounding and loss of membrane of red blood cells seen in other types of HDFN. Thus, the absence of spherocytes on the peripheral blood smear is more commonly seen in ABO HDFN than in other types of HDFN.

The Absence of Spherocytes on the Peripheral Blood Smear in a Case