Final answer:
The antibody that can cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn is the anti-Rh (anti-D) antibody. This condition occurs when maternal anti-Rh antibodies attack the Rh+ fetal red blood cells. It is prevented by administering Rho(D) immune globulin to Rh- mothers carrying Rh+ fetuses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN)
The antibody that could cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is the anti-Rh, also known as anti-D antibody. HDFN is a type of anemia that occurs when maternal anti-Rh antibodies cross the placenta and target fetal Rh+ red blood cells for lysis, leading to a type II hypersensitivity hemolytic reaction. This condition particularly affects the fetus during the second or subsequent pregnancies of an Rh- mother with an Rh+ fetus, because the mother's primary immune system response will have already been sensitized by the first pregnancy, resulting in a stronger and faster immune response to the Rh+ red blood cells of the second fetus.
This hemolytic disease can range from mild to severe and can lead to serious complications, including fetal brain damage or death. It is preventable with the administration of Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) treatment to the mother during the first pregnancy and after childbirth, to prevent her immune system from becoming sensitized to the Rh+ cells of the fetus.