Rh Incompatibility in Pregnancy

Rh Incompatibility in Pregnancy

What is Rh incompatibility?

Rh incompatibility occurs when a Rh-negative mother carries a Rh-positive baby. The Rh factor is a protein found on red blood cells. If you have it, you are Rh-positive; if you don’t, you are Rh-negative. This difference can cause the mother's immune system to treat the baby's blood cells as a threat.

How it happens:
When the baby’s Rh-positive blood enters the mother's Rh-negative bloodstream (especially during delivery, miscarriage, or trauma), her immune system may develop antibodies against Rh-positive cells. These antibodies can cross the placenta in future pregnancies and attack the red blood cells of the next Rh-positive baby, leading to serious complications.

Types of Rh Incompatibility Reactions:
First Pregnancy Reaction:
Usually, there is no severe reaction in the first Rh-incompatible pregnancy because the mother’s body hasn’t developed enough antibodies yet.

Subsequent Pregnancies Reaction:
If sensitization occurred during the first pregnancy, then in future Rh-positive pregnancies, the antibodies can cross the placenta and cause Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) or Erythroblastosis Fetalis — a serious condition where the baby’s red blood cells are destroyed.

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