Pune: Understanding the Seriousness of Rh Incompatibility & Its Impact on a Newborn

Pune, 5 July 2021: Just as the blood type is inherited from our parents, we also inherit the Rh factor. A protein found on the surface of red blood cells, the Rh factor if present signifies that you are Rh positive; if the protein is missing, it indicates that you are Rh negative. As the Rh factor is passed on from parent to child, the baby inherits the Rh factor from the father or mother. If the mother is Rh negative and the child is Rh positive, it indicates Rh incompatibility.  During pregnancy, if you are Rh negative and your baby is Rh positive, serious complications may occur. 

A Rh negative woman may be exposed to the Rh antigen when she is pregnant with a Rh positive child. As a reaction to this, the mother develops antibodies to the Rh antigen. During a second pregnancy, with a rh positive baby, the antibodies developed may enter the foetus and attack the Rh antigen on the foetal red blood cells (RBCs). The RBCs break down which leaves behind immature RBCs that have a lesser capacity to carry oxygen to all the baby’s body parts which leads to the development of anaemia. 

Additionally, bilirubin gets formed because of the RBCs that are destroyed. As the baby’s liver is not developed enough to clear the bilirubin, it may reach toxic levels that can cause jaundice. Build up of bilirubin may also:

• Cause damage to the baby’s brain
• Baby may suffer heart failure
• Seizures
• Build-up of fluid 
• Difficulty in mental function and movement
• Decline in hearing and speech 
• Decrease in muscle tone
• Fatigue

The condition could also be fatal and may require either blood transfusion or a procedure in which the plasma is entirely replaced, which will remove all the toxins. 

Precaution is important, so is prevention:

Having said the above, the condition is preventable. To determine your Rh type, a simple blood test will help diagnose the Rh incompatibility. If a woman is of the Rh negative blood type, medical attention during any situation in which she is likely to be sensitized by foetal blood is essential. This includes during delivery, abortion, miscarriage or other invasive tests or procedures. It is advisable that the woman be given a Rh immunoglobulin intervention medication. This neutralizes the antibodies from the baby’s blood before the mother has a chance to even develop antibodies against it. 

Early detection and essential treatment for Rh incompatibility will allow you to focus on and have a healthy pregnancy and baby.

~Authored by Dr Parag Biniwale, Senior Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist, Biniwale Clinic, Pune