A learning curriculum for “Rhesus disease”

Abstract

Aim: Rhesus disease is a type of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by an incompatibility between maternal and foetal rhesus D antigen presenation. Alloimmunisation can result in placental transfer of maternal antibodies. The subsequent spectrum of disease is wide, and it can result in severe foetal anaemia and hydrops, as well as postnatal jaundice and neonatal anaemia. Historically rhesus disease has been responsible for a high rate of morbidity and mortality in fetuses and neonates. This has dramatically reduced since the introduction of rhesus D immunoglobulin, also known as anti-D. Despite this reduction, the disease has not been eradicated and alloimmunisation can still occur and cause signficant disease. Due to the reduction in rates, education around this illness has also reduced, and therefore rhesus disease can go under recognised and poorly understood, at times resulting in mismanagement and delayed treatment. The aim of this educational project is to create a detailed learning curriculum in the field of rhesus disease, aimed at junior medical practitioners working in a vaierty of medical specialities, to achieve a greater level of understading about the incidence, pathophysiology, presentation and management of rhesus disease. Method: A group of international collegues from a variety of medical specialities devised a learning curriculum, containing six learning modules related to rhesus disease. The international collaboration involved regular meetings to discuss and reassess content of the curriculum. The cirriculum will immenently pilot at a site in Canada, with plans to initiate the curriculum soon after at sites in Australia, Pakistan and the USA. Results and Conclusions: The curriculum success will be assessed based on collated results of a pre and post curriculum quiestionairre, to assess the change in knowledge of each participant. A survey for participants will gather feedback regarding the practicality and suitability of the curriculum.