Rh Factor in Pregnancy

What is the RH factor? What is the incompatibility? Find out!

There are different types such as blood groups A, B, O and AB, which may also vary in either Rh positive or negative.

This means that the blood in each person has specific characteristics. The blood group is found as proteins on red blood cells and body fluids.

Moreover, the Rh factor is a protein found on the cover of red blood cells. When this protein is present in cells, the person has the Rh factor positive, but if the protein is not present in these cells, there is talk that that person has the Rh negative.

Rh incompatibility

This condition occurs when there is an incompatibility between the blood of the mother (Rh negative) and her fetus (Rh positive). It is in this case where there is a danger that some red blood cells of the baby’s Rh positive blood from entering the bloodstream of the mother during pregnancy and especially during labor and birth.

As these red blood cells contain the Rh factor is foreign to the mother’s body system, your body tries to eliminate them through the production of antibodies, for the reaction of the mother is called sensitization.

It is unlikely that there is this type of reaction during her first pregnancy, but you should consider this risk in your next pregnancy, because if your blood these antibodies cross the placenta can affect the fetus, destroying a large amount of their blood cells is there when there is Rh.

It is very important that before you plan to become pregnant you do some blood tests, so you’ll know what your blood group factor and you can prevent this kind of intolerance that may affect your baby.

If you know you’re Rh negative and you will give birth, it is very convenient to get a shot of a blood product called Rh immunoglobulin (Rhlg) before 72 hrs. to give birth to an Rh positive baby.

With this shot you can prevent sensitization by 95 percent. But it is also advisable to apply this shot around the 28th week of pregnancy for women who are sensitized before birth.

If this intolerance becomes not detected in time, it can cause jaundice (yellow skin and eyes to the baby), anemia, brain damage, heart failure and even death of the newborn baby.

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