Rh factor is found outside the red blood cells. It is also known as the Rhesus factor and is a type of protein. It is passed from one generation to another; it is genetically inherited from parents to the offspring. When a child does not inherit the protein from their parents, they become Rh-negative. Most people in this world inherit this protein from their parents, and about 85% of the people are Rh-positive. The Rh factor does not cause any problem in our health but can cause complications during pregnancy if the child is Rh-positive and the mother is RH negative.
Rh Incompatibility:
- Rh incompatibility is a condition that occurs when a woman and her baby in the womb carry different Rhesus protein factors.
- A pregnant woman has the baby in her womb with Rh-positive blood while she has Rh-negative blood.
- The Rh blood group system was discovered by A.S. Weiner and Karl Landsteiner in 1940.
- The Rh antigen can create a danger for Rh negative people who do not have an antigen if the Rh-positive blood is given during transfusion.
- The number of people having Rh-negative blood is significantly less. It is about 15% of the white people of North America and Europe. About 8% of African Americans have Rh-negative blood. 0.3% of people of China origin and about 5% of people of Indian origin have Rh-negative blood.
Causes of Rh Incompatibility:
- When there is a difference in the blood type between the pregnant woman and her unborn child leads to the cause of Rh incompatibility.
- Rh incompatibility occurs if the mother has Rh-negative blood, but the child may inherit the positive protein from its father.
Consequences of Rh incompatibility:
- Suppose the embryo is Rh-positive and the mother is Rh-negative. In that case, the mother’s immune system will act against the cells of the embryo, and the mother’s body will make antibodies against the baby’s cells. This mechanism can affect the circulation of the red blood cells inside the baby’s body. It can destroy the red blood cells of the baby.
- After the brokerage of red blood cells of the baby, the red blood cells start making a yellowish pigment known as bilirubin.
- The formation of bilirubin in the baby’s body leads to jaundice in the infant’s body. The level of this yellow pigment can be moderate to high.
- The formation of bilirubin can also lead to hemolytic anaemia in the baby.
- In most cases, the firstborn baby is not affected by this yellow pigment bilirubin. It takes some time for the mother’s body to develop antibodies against the Rh-positive blood. But if the mother has undergone with miscarriage or abortion, the baby might get affected.
- Also, once the mother’s body starts forming antibodies, it remains inside the mother’s body, and it can affect second or later pregnancies if the baby has Rh-Positive blood.
Symptoms of Rh Incompatibility:
- Rh incompatibility usually does not show any symptoms in pregnant women. But it can be a symptom of hemolytic anaemia in the baby. The red blood cells destroy themselves faster than the body can replace them in this condition.
- Hemolytic anaemia can lead to severe conditions such as jaundice in the baby.
Prevention of Rh Incompatibility:
- Rh incompatibility can be prevented before the antibodies are developed inside the mother’s body. Once the antibodies are developed, nothing can prevent the problems arising due to Rh incompatibility.
- If medicine such as Rh immune globulin should be given with proper routine, it can prevent complications.
- Early prenatal care can also help in the prevention of Rh incompatibility.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
- A simple blood test can diagnose Rh incompatibility.
- To treat Rh incompatibility, Rh immune globulin medicine/ injection should be given with proper routine before the antibodies are developed inside the mother body.
Conclusion:
Rh incompatibility occurs when a woman and her baby in the womb carry different Rhesus protein factors. When there is a difference in the blood type between the pregnant woman and her unborn child leads to the cause of Rh incompatibility. Rh incompatibility occurs if the mother has Rh-negative blood, but the child may inherit the positive protein from its father. Suppose the embryo is Rh-positive and the mother is Rh-negative. In that case, the mother’s immune system will act against the cells of the embryo, and the mother’s body will make antibodies against the baby’s cells. This mechanism can affect the circulation of the red blood cells inside the baby’s body. It can destroy the red blood cells of the baby. If medicine such as Rh immune globulin should be given with proper routine, it can prevent the complications of Rh incompatibility.