Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn Due to Anti-Gonzales Antibody

Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is an immune-mediated condition caused by the production of maternal antibodies to fetal red blood cells. This condition most commonly arises due to Rh factor incompatibility. The case presented here displays an example of HDFN in which the mother and fetus's blood type was O+. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the mother is a producer of anti-Gonzales antibodies (anti-Go(a)). With no cases published in the 21st century, this antibody is a rare cause of HDFN. Anti-Go(a) is produced against the Go antigen, a low-frequency Rh antigen found predominantly in African and Puerto Rican populations. Bringing awareness to this rare cause of HDFN may accelerate diagnosis when the physician is faced with non-ABO and non-Rh isoimmunization in these ethnic groups.