Worldwide Initiative for Rh Disease Eradication (WIRhE)

A multidisciplinary organization was founded recently, the Worldwide Initiative for Rh Disease Eradication (WIRhE), with a goal of eradicating Rh disease by “connecting the world to protect mothers and babies.” To this end, we intend to eradicate Rh disease by encouraging, enabling, and empowering the efforts of diverse groups of individuals and organizations; by serving as a clearinghouse to encourage cooperative and collaborative projects; and by providing a centralized source of information about Rh disease for patients, physicians, and health care organizations. Despite an effective immunoprophylaxis, Rh disease remains dismayingly prevalent in parts of the world, leading to hundreds of thousands of families affected by repeated miscarriages, stillbirths, and neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia. This devastating disorder is still commonly seen in much of the world due to both a lack of awareness and a lack of access to appropriate care. Approximately 50% of the pregnant women who need this protection do not receive it; this amounts to ~2.5 million women each year.

Faculty

• Brie Stotler
• Steven Spitalnik

Locations

United States

Areas of Focus

Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health