We published the Guidelines on the Prophylactic Use of Rh D Immunoglobulin (Anti-D) in Obstetrics in 2003 to provide clinical guidance on antenatal prophylaxis. That guideline addressed supply constraints at the time of publication by including a staged implementation process for a full antenatal prophylaxis program in Australia.
In 2016, the NBA and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) agreed on the need to update the clinical guidance on the prophylactic use of Rh D immunoglobulin while maintaining the policy intent for an antenatal prophylaxis program.
Developing the Guidelines on the Prophylactic Use of Rh D Immunoglobulin (Anti-D) in Obstetrics was a joint project between RANZCOG and the NBA. Representatives from RANZCOG were joined by other experts from various clinical settings on the Expert Reference Group to develop the guideline. The NBA gratefully acknowledges the dedication and expertise provided by the Expert Reference Group.
The guideline was published on 28 May 2021.
It introduced new clinical guidance on the use of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) to determine fetal Rh D status. This guidance is based on scientific evidence and consensus among clinical experts and is not a policy statement on funding and supply arrangements for the national provisions of NIPT. The existing supply arrangements and status of the application for new MBS items for the national provision of NIPT to determine fetal RHD status are not addressed specifically in this guideline.
Shortly after publication, the literature searches were updated and relevant evidence incorporated into the guideline. This updated version of the guideline was published on 3 March 2024 in electronic format and on MAGICapp, a web-based platform for guidelines.
Guideline
This guideline is maintained on MAGICapp. The electronic version on MAGICapp and the PDF version below is the approved and most current version.
Any updates to the guideline will be acknowledged here. To keep up to date with the latest changes to this guideline, click subscribe on the MAGICapp website.
Summary of clinical guidance
Summary of updates
A summary of the major changes made to the 2024 version of the guideline has been prepared. The changes are tracked in the document to illustrate the updated content.
Technical report on the methodology and findings of the evidence review process
Care pathways
Complementary educational resources
The 'RhD Immunoglobulin' obstetric patient blood management course is available from BloodSafe eLearning(Opens in a new tab/window).
College and Society endorsements
The NBA greatly appreciates and acknowledges the input received from the clinical community in producing the guideline. We are pleased to acknowledge that the following organisations have formally endorsed the guideline:
- The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
Get in touch
We welcome feedback on this guideline to inform future reviews or the development of materials to support implementation.
Last updated: 27 Mar 2024