IS HE/SHE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR ME BIOLOGICALLY ? – PART 2

Blood and relationships PART 2

In this article we will consider another major factor before entering relationships or starting a family.

RHESUS FACTOR 

Also known as Rh factor is a type of protein found on the exterior of red blood cells. The protein can only be  genetically inherited (from parents going down generation to generation). If one has the protein, you are Rh-positive. If you did not inherit the protein, you are Rh-negative. RH factor is denoted with a + or – beside ones genotype. For example, AB+

Why is Rh factor important?

This does not affect overall health, but it is important to know your Rh status ideally before pregnancy than during pregnancy.

Rh factor can cause complications during pregnancy if you are Rh-negative and your child is Rh-positive.

When does Rh incompatibility occur ?

Rh incompatibility occurs when a woman who is Rh-negative becomes pregnant with a baby with Rh-positive blood (a RH+ baby will most likely have a father that is RH+, Babies mostly assume the Rhesus factor of the father except in special cases). With Rh incompatibility, the woman’s immune system reacts and creates Rh antibodies. These antibodies help drive an immune system attack against the baby, which the mother’s body views as a foreign object (antigen).

Antibody formation can happen after blood transfusions or when fetal (baby’s) blood enters the mother’s circulation because of reasons such as:

• Miscarriages
• Ectopic pregnancies
• Terminations or abortions
• Injury to the stomach area during pregnancy.
• Bleeding during pregnancy, etc.

Below lists the safe RH compatibility

• RH+ Man to RH- Woman.
• RH- Man to RH- Woman.
• RH+ Man to RH+ Woman.

The image below shows what happens during unsafe or wrong RH compatibility in terms of pregnancy.

Unsafe RH compatibility leads to a phenomenon termed ” ERYTHROCYTE-FETALIS-BLASTOSIS” which simply means Destruction of the Red blood cells of the foetus (baby).

During the first pregnancy, there is a 50% chance of the baby’s death or survival due to an under production of anti-D antibodies in the blood of the mother.

During the second pregnancy, the anti-D antibodies would have been fully produced and this will cause the percentage of death to rise to 80-90%.

Any hope? 

The medical realm undergoes changes and improvements with each passing day, there is an injection called RHOGAM (rhod immune globulin human) which is administered between 26 and 28 weeks pregnant and then again within 72 hours after delivery to ensure that future pregnancies are as safe as the first.

If you have questions or require more information on this condition please click here or drop a comment below this article.

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