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Rh disease (also known as rhesus isoimmunization, Rh (D) disease, or rhesus incompatibility, and blue baby disease) is a type of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). HDFN due to anti-D antibodies is the proper and currently used name for this disease as the Rh blood group system actually has more than 50 antigens and not only the ...
If you don’t have the “Rh factor” in your blood, you risk having a baby with rhesus disease (Rh disease). Here’s what you need to know about being Rh-negative in pregnancy.
Blood compatibility testing is routinely performed before a blood transfusion.The full compatibility testing process involves ABO and RhD (Rh factor) typing; screening for antibodies against other blood group systems; and crossmatching, which involves testing the recipient's blood plasma against the donor's red blood cells as a final check for incompatibility.
Alloimmunization usually has minimal effect on the first such pregnancy; but, in a second such pregnancy, pre-existing maternal RhD IgG antibodies can cross the placenta in enough amounts to damage fetal red blood cells. This condition is called erythroblastosis fetalis and can be fatal to the fetus. [8]
Newborn Screening Tests - Transfusion with donor blood during pregnancy or shortly after birth can affect the results of the Newborn Screening Tests. It is recommended to wait and retest 10–12 months after last transfusion. In some cases, DNA testing from saliva can be used to rule out certain conditions. [citation needed]
Cell-free DNA can be used the determine the Rh antigen of the fetus when the mother is Rh negative. Blood is taken from the mother during the pregnancy, and using PCR, can detect the K, C, c, D, and E alleles of fetal DNA. This blood test is non-invasive to the fetus and is an easy way of checking antigen status and risk of HDN.
Rh is a factor in blood, and in cases where the mother is absent of this (Rh-) while carrying an Rh+ fetus, an immune response may develop with deleterious effects. The Rh gene hypothesis is a strong candidate because not only does it involve the maternal immune response, but it has been implicated in handedness as well. [9]
It is usually performed on Rh-negative mothers to determine the required dose of Rho(D) immune globulin (RhIg) to inhibit formation of Rh antibodies in the mother and prevent Rh disease in future Rh-positive children. [2] It is named after Enno Kleihauer and Klaus Betke who described it in 1957.