What happens if Coombs test is positive in pregnancy?

Direct Coombs test. A positive result means that your blood has antibodies that fight against red blood cells. This can be caused by a transfusion of incompatible blood. Or it may be related to conditions such as hemolytic anemia or hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).

What is a Coombs test in pregnancy?

Coombs test during pregnancy An indirect Coombs test is given to every pregnant person to see if they have antibodies against Rh-positive blood. For example, if you have an Rh-negative blood type (such as O-, A-, B- or AB-), your red blood cells don’t have the Rh factor marker on them.

Is Coombs test done on mother or baby?

This condition is diagnosed by a blood test that you may hear referred to as either a Coombs test or direct antibody test (DAT). “A Coombs test is routinely done on [newborns] who have different blood types than their mother’s,” says Dr. Arunachalam.

What does a positive Coombs test mean?

An abnormal (positive) direct Coombs test means you have antibodies that act against your red blood cells. This may be due to: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia or similar disorder. Blood disease in newborns called erythroblastosis fetalis (also called hemolytic disease of the newborn)

What is a Coombs test for newborns?

This is the test that is done on the newborn’s blood sample, usually in the setting of a newborn with jaundice. The test is looking for “foreign” antibodies that are already adhered to the infant’s red blood cells (rbcs), a potential cause of hemolysis. This is referred to as “antibody-mediated hemolysis”.

Why is indirect Coombs test done during pregnancy?

An indirect Coombs test can be used to determine whether there are antibodies to the Rh factor in the mother’s blood. In this case: A normal (negative) result means that the mother has not developed antibodies against the fetus’s blood.

How do you treat Coombs positive in newborns?

A mild degree of jaundice is very common in newborn babies and is not usually a problem. However babies who are Coombs positive may have higher levels of jaundice. High levels of jaundice need to be treated. The usual treatment for jaundice is phototherapy which involves exposing the baby to a light source.