Incompatibility during pregnancy
Dear student,
Rh antigen is one of the surface antigens present on red blood cells. People with the Rh antigen are called Rh positive, and those without are called Rh negative.
When a Rh negative mother gets pregnant with a Rh positive baby for the first time, during childbirth, a small amount of the blood of the baby may come in contact with the mother's blood. This causes formation of anti-Rh antibodies in the mother and sensitises her to the Rh antigen.No problems occur with the first born.
If in the next pregnancy, a Rh negative baby is conceived, then there are no complications. If a Rh positive fetus is conceived, then the antibodies formed in the mother's blood will attack the blood cells of fetus and leading to complications called erythroblastosis foetalis or hemolytic disease of newborn. The child develops jaundice, kernicterus and other symptoms within few days of birth. It can also be fatal and lead to death.
To prevent this, when a Rh positive child is born to a Rh negative mother, anti-anti-Rh injections must be given immediatey after birth, or during the fourth month of gestation of the second child.
Regards!
Rh antigen is one of the surface antigens present on red blood cells. People with the Rh antigen are called Rh positive, and those without are called Rh negative.
When a Rh negative mother gets pregnant with a Rh positive baby for the first time, during childbirth, a small amount of the blood of the baby may come in contact with the mother's blood. This causes formation of anti-Rh antibodies in the mother and sensitises her to the Rh antigen.No problems occur with the first born.
If in the next pregnancy, a Rh negative baby is conceived, then there are no complications. If a Rh positive fetus is conceived, then the antibodies formed in the mother's blood will attack the blood cells of fetus and leading to complications called erythroblastosis foetalis or hemolytic disease of newborn. The child develops jaundice, kernicterus and other symptoms within few days of birth. It can also be fatal and lead to death.
To prevent this, when a Rh positive child is born to a Rh negative mother, anti-anti-Rh injections must be given immediatey after birth, or during the fourth month of gestation of the second child.
Regards!
