What Is Rh Incompatibility?
If you have an Rh negative blood type but your partner has a positive blood type, you may be at risk for something called Rh incompatibility. This occurs if your body detects the presence of the Rh protein from your baby's red blood cells. Because you do not possess this protein, your body may create antibodies to attack this protein, which your body thinks is a foreign substance. While this isn't always a problem, it can pose a serious risk to the health of your baby.
Normally, your and your baby's blood do not intermingle, so there's no problem if your blood types are incompatible. However, your blood can intermingle during childbirth – and this may cause your body to start producing these antibodies, which will attack the baby's red blood cells. If this isn't your first pregnancy, your body may recognize the Rh protein during the pregnancy and start producing antibodies that attack the baby's RBCs – causing a condition in the baby called Rh disease. Left untreated, Rh disease poses a serious risk to the health of the baby.
Thankfully, we now have treatments to guard against Rh disease. If you and your baby have incompatible blood types, we can use something called a RhoGAM shot to protect your baby from any antibodies. Your doctor will work with you to decide if a RhoGAM shot is necessary in your case.
Magbasa pa
