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Forecast: prehospital transfusion growth and HDFN risk
Forecasting the rate of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in the United States based on recent trends in prehospital transfusion
Transfusion · 2026-11-05 · Added 7 November 2026
US researchers forecast that growing prehospital transfusion of RhD-positive blood to females of childbearing potential will lead to haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, with one predicted case every 0.5–20 years depending on region and model.
- Study type
- Modelling
- Design
- Forecasting model (regression on US transfusion trends, 500 instantiations per model)
- Participants
- 779 females of childbearing potential projected to receive prehospital transfusion in the US in 2029
- Main finding
- One HDFN case forecast every 0.5–20 years depending on region and model (base case: 0.5 years in the South, 20.0 in the Northeast).
- Caveat
- A forecasting exercise built on US trends and assumptions — no observed HDFN cases.
- Bottom line
- Context only
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). Prehospital blood is limited to a few Australian services, so this informs the debate more than current practice.
Learning goal
Weigh the risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn when giving RhD-positive blood to females of childbearing potential.
More
- Topic: Trauma
- Daily scan: 7 November 2026
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