Rh incompatibility is an important factor which often leads to various pregnancy complications and so, if you come to know about your pregnancy, then, you should go through some blood tests in order to confirm the Rh factor. The blood tests will determine your blood type and Rh factor. People with different blood types have different protein ratio on the surfaces of their red blood cells. There are four blood types- A, B, AB and O. Each of these four blood types is again classified on the basis of the presence of another protein on the surface of the red blood cell and this classification indicates the Rh factor. Those who have this additional protein, they are Rh positive and if you so not have it, then, you are Rh negative. It has been found out that 85% of the total population are Rh positive.
Rh incompatibility refers to that problematic situation when a child is born to a couple of having opposite Rh factors. If a Rh negative woman and a Rh positive man conceive a baby, then, the baby usually suffers from various health problems. Most of the children born to Rh negative mother and Rh positive father are Rh positive. It is important to note that Rh incompatibility is not a danger in case of mother's first pregnancy. In this case, the blood of the fetus does not normally enter the mother's circulatory system during pregnancy.
| But, there is a chance of intermingling of the mother's blood with the baby's at the time of delivery. And, if it happens, then, the mother's body would recognize the Rh protein as foreign substance and would start producing antibodies against the Rh proteins introduced in the mother's blood.
Rh incompatibility can also occur when an Rh negative pregnant woman gets exposed to the Rh protein in course of blood transfusions at the time of miscarriage and Ectopic pregnancy. But, today Rh incompatibility can be handled with proper medicine. The woman with the potentiality of developing Rh incompatibility is given two Rh immune- globuline shots during her first pregnancy.
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The first one is given on 28th week of pregnancy and the second one is given within 72 hours of delivery. These shots act as vaccine and prevent the growth of antibodies in the mother's body and thereby reduce the chance of complications in the newborn and also in case of future pregnancies.
To get information on pregnancy complications, log on to pregnancyxl.com.
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