Rh factor
Factor Rh y enfermedad hemolítica del recién nacido
- Date
- 1939-1940 · confidence high
- Place
- Rockefeller Institute, New York, United States
- Credited to
- Karl Landsteiner and Alexander Wiener; Philip Levine (maternal-foetal incompatibility)
- People
- 👤 Alexander S. Wiener1907–1976👤 Karl Landsteiner1868–1943👤 Philip Levine1928–2015
- Field
- Life & health
What was discovered
An erythrocyte antigen identified with anti-Rhesus monkey sera; it explained transfusion reactions and haemolytic disease of the newborn from mother-child incompatibility.
What it led to
- fully compatible transfusion
- anti-D prophylaxis (1968), which almost eliminated haemolytic disease of the newborn
- immunohaematology
Built on
Made possible
- anti-D immunoglobulin