Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Neonatal Hemochromatosis is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the nate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Synonyms
congenital hemochromatosis
neonatal iron storage disease
Disorder Subdivisions
None
General Discussion
Neonatal hemochromatosis is a disorder affecting fetuses and newborns. It is characterized by liver disease associated with the accumulation of excess iron in the liver and other areas of the body. Neonatal hemochromatosis is caused by severe fetal liver disease (see below). Some severe cases result in stillbirth, while live born infants with neonatal hemochromatosis typically show signs within 48 hours of birth. Neonatal hemochromatosis often produces life-threatening complications such as liver failure. However, some infants are less severely affected than others. There is a high risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies of women who have had a child with neonatal hemochromatosis. Although the exact cause of the disorder is not fully understood, researchers believe most cases of neonatal hemochromatosis result from maternal fetal alloimmunity, a condition in which antibodies from the mother travel over the placenta and mistakenly attack the fetus.
