Question

In terms of hemolytic disease of the newborn/Rh incompatibility (look on-line)

a) what are the blood type problems between mom and baby?

b) how does this relate to a first pregnancy vs. later ones?

c) How can this be prevented to allow for safe pregnancy?

Answer 1

a) The blood type between mom and baby is mom cantain Rh negative and baby cantain Rh positive.

Generally it is a alloimmune condition that develops in an Rh positive baby whose father is Rh positive and mother is Rh negative. The consequences of this marriage is the Rh incompatibility between mother and growing foetus. The foetal blood cells may pass through the ruptured placenta at birth into the Rh negative meternal blood. The mother s immune system recognize the Rh antigens and get sensitized. The sensitised immun system in mother produced Rh antibodies.

b) Generally the first child of this genetically incomparable marriage is uneffected because foetus is delivered by the time the mother get sensitized and antibodies accumulate and cross through the placenta into the foetus. During the second Pragnancy. If second child is Rh positive these antibodies cross the plcental border and enters the foetal blood circulation. The blood cells Rh positive foetus are destroyed. Causing Haemolytic Disease of the New born.

c) If mother is found to be Rh negative and foetus is Rh positive, IgG anti-D antibodies should be administered to the mother at 28th and 34th weeks of gestation as a prophylactic measure. If the Rh negative mother delivers Rh positive baby, than anti-D antibodies should be administered to the mother soon after delivary. This develops the passive immunity and prevents the formation of anti-D antibodies in the mothers blood, by destroying the Rh positive foetal erythrocytes, before the mother s immune system is sensitized. This has to be done every time lady is pregnant.