Rh Factor Pregnancy.

My mother told me to discuss my rh factor pregnancy with my doctor. Why?
You may be Rh-negative, which requires some additional attention during pregnancy and after your baby is born.

What does it mean to be Rh-negative?
Your blood type, such as O, A, B, AB, contains a factor that determines if it is positive or negative. In the past, Rh-negative women who carried an Rh-positive child faced complicated pregnancies that could result in a very sick baby. Today, most of these problems can be prevented. If you are Rh-negative, you and your doctor need to know it.

Why is being Rh-negative a problem?
If you have had a previous pregnancy, you have had a blood transfusion or you received blood products of some kind, you could become Rh-sensitized (isoimmunized). This could affect your baby if he or she is Rh-negative.

What does it mean to be isoimmunized?
If you are isoimmunized, you have antibodies that circulate inside your system. They won't harm you, but they can attack the blood of an Rh-positive fetus. Antibodies from you can cross the placenta and attack your baby's blood. This can make your baby anemic while it 15 still inside the uterus and can be very serious.

How does a woman become sensitized?
An Rh-negative woman becomes sensitized when Rh-positive blood gets into her bloodstream. This can happen with a blood transfusion, amniocentesis, the previous birth of an Rh-positive baby, a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy.

What can I do about this problem?
Most problems can be prevented with the use of Rho-GAM, which is Rh-immune globulin. If you are Rh-negative and pregnant, you will receive an injection of RhoGAM at 28 weeks' pregnancy to prevent sensitization before delivery. Rho-GAM is a blood product; if you have any personal, religious or ethical reasons for not using blood products, discuss it with your doctor.

Do I receive any more injections?
Within 72 hours after delivery, you will be given a second injection of RhoGAM, if your baby is Rh-positive.

Not all babies are Rh-positive, are they?
No. Some women who are Rh-negative carry a child who is also Rh-negative. In this case, no RhoGAM injection is given after delivery.

Are there other situations in which RhoGAM is used?
Yes. If you have an ectopic pregnancy and are Rh-negative, you should receive RhoGAM. This also applies to miscarriages and abortions. If you are Rh-negative and have amniocentesis, you will also receive RhoGAM.