Rh-negative mothers with Rh-positive babies can develop antibodies that destroy the baby’s red blood cells, causing severe anemia and high bilirubin levels. This buildup can lead to kernicterus, a form of permanent brain damage causing movement, hearing, and speech issues.
It is highly preventable with RhoGAM injections now but in 1956? No. Not until 1968 were they approved and released.
The primary cause is severe hyperbilirubinemia, where excess bilirubin crosses the blood-brain barrier, often triggered by Rh incompatibility, ABO blood incompatibility, or premature birth. Prompt treatment is essential to prevent permanent damage, typically involving phototherapy (“blue light” therapy) or blood transfusions to lower bilirubin levels.