Rhesus factor and pregnancy

Positive or negative Rhesus factor of blood is associated with the presence or absence on the surface of red blood cells (red blood cells) antigen - a protein that stimulates the production of antibodies. It is found in about 85% of Europeans - they are Rh-positive. The remaining 15% are Rh negative.

How are negative Rh factor and pregnancy related? If the mother has a negative Rh factor and the child has a positive Rh factor, rhesus-conflict. In the event that the blood of the mother and childsomehow they mix up (say, during childbirth), the mother's organism perceives the antigen-D, which is present in the blood of the child, as something alien, and begins to develop antibodies. These antibodies destroy the baby's red blood cells.

Of course, the negative Rh factor in the mother is notmeans that the Rhesus-conflict is bound to happen. If the fetus Rh factor is also negative, there will naturally be no conflict. If the mother and fetus have different Rh factor, and pregnancy is the first - conflict during pregnancy may not be: hematoplacental barrier prevents the fetus and mother from mixing. It all depends on the type of antibodies: some antibodies are able to penetrate the child's body through this barrier, some are not.

In which cases does increased risk of rhesus-conflict? Rhesus-conflict may be caused by previouspregnancy abortions or miscarriages, late or early childbirth. The second pregnancy usually proceeds heavier than the first, and the Rhesus-conflict is more likely, because the mother's blood retained antibodies after a previous pregnancy.

Rhesus-conflict can lead to hemolytic anemia (decrease in hemoglobin concentration in fetal bloodor a newborn, caused by hemolysis - destruction of red blood cells) and hemolytic jaundice of newborns. Hemolytic anemia, leading to pathological jaundice, is also known under the name hemolytic disease of newborns.

So, it turns out, a negative Rh factor andpregnancy are incompatible? Can a mother with a negative rhesus avoid problems during pregnancy, even if the fetus is Rh positive? Yes, modern medicine allows reduce the risk of Rhesus conflict to a minimum.

If the future mother has a negative Rh factor,it is important to monitor the condition of her body from the very beginning of pregnancy. The doctor carefully studies the anamnesis; this is especially important if the pregnancy is not the first and it was preceded by miscarriages or abortions. In the first half of pregnancy blood test for antibodies in it surrenders monthly, and in the second - once every two weeks.

If pregnancy is the first, Rh-conflict can notmanifest themselves up to the very birth. Therefore, after childbirth, the newborn is taken tests to accurately establish the Rh factor, the presence of antibodies and the level of bilirubin. The state of the child should be closely watched.

In many cases, Rh-conflict can be prevented. For this mother intramuscularly inject special anti-D antibodies (RhoGAM). This is done during pregnancy or during72 hours after birth or other events capable of provoking the production of their own antibodies from the mother. The injected antibodies destroy the fetal red blood cells that enter the mother's body before it starts producing its own antibodies. The fetus does not threaten anything: RhoGAM is not able to enter the body through the placenta.

In extreme cases, resort to plasmapheresis to purify the mother's blood from already developed antibodies or intrauterine blood transfusion fetus, but these procedures are quite risky. So prevention is still the best method of treatment.

Negative Rh factor and pregnancy may well "get along". Of course, the ideal option is if the father also has a negative Rh factor, then there will be no conflict. But choosing a father only by Rh factor is not an option. Therefore, a future mother with a negative Rh factor must constantly be under the supervision of doctors - then she has all chances to give birth to a healthy child. And it is very important for a woman with negative rhesus to be protected, if she is not ready yet to have children - for her, abortion is doubly dangerous.