In: Nursing
Determine the cause of the positive DATs for the patients below:
Patient #3:
Mom is O negative with an Anti-K
Baby is O positive, K antigen positive, DAT 3+
What antibody could be causing the positive DAT? ______________
The baby's blood contain both anti- A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma, as well as some special"anti-A, B" antibodies. And the maternal blood does not contain any antibodies.
The cause for positive DAT is erythroblastosis fetalis. During pregnancy, some of the blood between the mother and baby may mix. This mixing of blood sometimes produces antibodies. Erythroblastosis fetalis is a hemolytic anemia in the fetus caused by transplacental transmission of maternal antibodies to fetal red blood cells. This disorder usually results from incompatibility between maternal and fetal blood groups. It develop when a women with Rh negative blood is impregnated by a man with Rh positive blood.
If the baby is DAT positive, there is a risk that they could develop anemia and/or jaundice. If the mother's blood contain Rh negative she should take an injection called anti- D during pregnancy to stop your body making antibodies against your baby's blood.