Bn Rh
Bn Rh

Pregnancy- Rh Incompatibility

The Rh factor is a blood protein found in red blood cells. If you have the protein, you are Rh positive (Rh+). If you don't have the protein, you are Rh negative (Rh-). Problems only occur when the mom is Rh- and her baby is Rh+. However, most women are Rh+ and consequently only a small amount of women have to confront this problem.

In your very first prenatal appointment, your doctor typically takes a blood sample to determine your Rh factor. If you find out you have Rh- blood, the child's father will be tested to determine his Rh factor. Once you know the father's Rh factor your doctor will be able to better determine the baby�s Rh factor. If the baby�s father is Rh+, there is a chance that the baby could have Rh+ blood also, which may cause Rh incompatibility.

If Rh incompatibility occurs your blood will see your baby�s blood as a foreigner and create antibodies that will destroy your child's red blood cells depleting the number of red blood cells. If your baby�s body is unable to reproduce red blood cells as fast as they are being destroyed, a transfusion may be considered. Generally a blood transfusion can wait to be performed until after delivery however transfusions can be given inuterobut this is very rare.

If you are Rh- and your baby is Rh+, Rh incompatibility only becomes a problem if your baby�s blood enters your system. Generally this only happens during delivery, miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. In your very first pregnancy, you will be less likely to have an Rh incompatibility because your baby�s blood has not entered your system. Therefore, Rh incompatibility typically only happens in subsequent pregnancies if your previous baby�s blood found it's way into your system.

To prevent you from generating antibodies that will harm your baby�s blood, your doctor will inject you with a drug called Rho-GAM. Rho-GAM is usually injected at twenty eight weeks and again three days after delivery as a precaution. Rho-GAM is also injected after a miscarriage, amniocentesis and CVS. This'll keep your body from generating antibodies, which could cause difficulties for you during later pregnancies.

NOTE: Use of this article requires links to be intact.

As a father of eight, Chris Dunn often writes articles for the pregnancy section of his childbirth website. NOTE: Use of this article requires links to be intact.


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