[Neonatal hemochromatosis]

[Prenatal treatment of neonatal hemochromatosis with maternal administration of intravenous immunoglobulins (about four cases)]

OBJECTIVES

Neonatal hemochromatosis is a very bad prognosis disease; liver transplantation was the only way to avoid an unfavourable evolution. Nowadays, hypothesis of an alloimmune mechanism for this disease has purposed to administrate high doses of immunoglobulins.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, we report four cases of women whose previous child had neonatal hemochromatosis and who received such a treatment during the next pregnancy from 18 weeks to the term.

RESULTS

This treatment allowed to lead their pregnancy to success. At birth, all four neonates were alive. Two of them presented transitory biologic symptoms of liver deficiency. All had a favourable evolution later.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Maternal treatment with high doses of immunoglobulins during pregnancy seems to improve dramatically the prognosis of neonatal hemochromatosis as it has been already reported. It could also apply to other diseases, which proceed from the same mechanism.

Traitement par immunoglobulines pendant la grossesse chez deux patientes à risque de récurrence d'hémochromatose néonatale

Two patients, with prior affected children with Neonatal Haemochromatosis [NH], benefited from intravenous immunoglobulin treatment during their following pregnancy in order to prevent recurrent NH. Whereas NH is a severe disease with high risk of recurrence and high mortality rate (about 80%), a recent treatment was suggested in the USA, which seems to completely modify the prognosis of this pathology. We proposed this treatment for two patients with indeed apparent benefit, giving birth to two healthy babies.