Why is it important to prevent blood group incompatibility in the first pregnancy?

This is an automatically translated article.

The Rh factor in blood group is inherited from parents, it will directly affect the blood group of children. Blood type determination is very important in taking care of each person's health. Especially for pregnant women, it is necessary to prevent blood group incompatibility in the first pregnancy.

1. What is Rhesus antibodies in the blood?

In addition to dividing blood into different groups thanks to blood group-specific proteins on the surface of red blood cells such as blood group A, blood group B, blood group AB and blood group O, it can be smaller based on the Rh factor. in blood.
All blood types can be divided by this factor, if you have Rh(+) factor, your blood type will be Rh(+), otherwise if this protein is not present, it will be Rh(-) ).
In fact, the number of people with Rh(-) blood group is very small, the majority is still Rh(+). In Vietnam, people with Rh(-) blood group are considered to have rare blood types. Because the occurrence rate of this blood group is very low, only about 0.04% to 0.07%.

2. Why should pregnant women prevent blood group incompatibility?

People with Rh(-) blood group will not affect their health status. However, for pregnant women, the Rh (+) factor in the blood can directly affect the health of both the mother and the fetus. In case the pregnant woman has Rh(-) blood group and the man carries Rh(+), the fetus will have 50% Rh(+) blood group inherited from the father and develop in the Rh(-) carrier. of the mother. Usually, the mother and baby's blood type incompatibility will not affect the mother in the first pregnancy. But pregnant women still need special examination and monitoring during pregnancy to prevent blood group incompatibility. The danger will appear after a woman goes into labor in the first pregnancy, it is possible that the fetal blood will be mixed with the mother's blood. When the mother's body is first exposed to Rh (+) factor from the fetus, it will immediately produce antibodies against the foreign object. This will affect the next pregnancy, if the fetus is still Rh(+). A worse case that affects the first pregnancy is when a woman has an ectopic pregnancy, has a miscarriage or has Rh (+) factor when she receives an Rh (+) blood type transfusion. likes to make antibodies. When the mother's body has produced Rhesus antibodies, when the Rh (+) factor is detected on the fetal blood cells, it will actively attack them. Antibodies present in the mother's blood will cross the placenta into the fetal blood and destroy them. The immediate consequence will be severe anemia in the fetus due to the large amount of red blood cells being destroyed. This is called hemolytic or hemolytic disease due to incompatibility between mother and child blood groups. At this time, the fetus is light, there is a risk of jaundice, severe can cause heart failure, liver failure even leading to miscarriage, stillbirth affecting the life of both mother and fetus.

3. What should be done to prevent Rhesus antibodies?

The prevention of blood group incompatibility in the first pregnancy is very important, because once the mother's body has produced antibodies, the antibodies will remain in the blood forever and do not disappear.
Today it is possible to prevent Rhesus antibodies by injecting Anti-D - immunoglobulin into the muscle of the mother's thigh. Anti-D will quickly destroy the fetus's Rh (+) red blood cells before the mother's body can produce Rhesus antibodies. As a result, the mother will not create Rhesus antibodies that attack the baby's red blood cells.
Anti-D is obtained from donor plasma through two careful steps. The initial screening will be an interview with medical history and a more thorough screening for HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Although the rate is very small, there have been cases of Anti-D causing an allergic reaction to the mother. So, after the injection, pregnant women need to stay in the hospital for at least 20 minutes to ensure safety.
Special note Anti - D is not able to remove already present Rhesus antibodies so it will be completely useless if the mother already has Rhesus antibodies.

4. What should pregnant women who have Rhesus antibodies do?

Although the mother and child's blood group incompatibility is very dangerous, but modern medicine today, pregnant women carrying Rh (-) can also give birth safely, giving birth many times. Pregnant women should have regular antenatal check-ups as prescribed by their doctor.
If the first antenatal checkup at 28 weeks of pregnancy detects Rhesus antibodies in the body, the pregnant woman needs to be followed closely to look for signs of anemia in the fetus. Complementary blood transfusion can be given to the fetus before birth to avoid hemolytic disease. Pregnant women need to get one dose of Anti-D at 28 weeks and one booster dose at 34 weeks.
Everyone should have an Rh test to know their exact blood type, in case of complications. In case of needing blood donation, blood transfusion, especially it is very important in preventing blood group incompatibility in the first pregnancy. In summary, the blood group test plays an important role and throughout the pregnancy of pregnant women. Detecting blood group inconsistencies, pregnant mothers will be guided and consulted to designate appropriate solutions to bring the best effect for the health of mother and baby.
Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package Maternity Care Program for pregnant women right from the first months of pregnancy with a full range of antenatal care visits, periodical 3D and 4D ultrasounds and routine tests to ensure that the mother is healthy and the fetus is developing comprehensively.
Pregnant women will be consulted and checked for health under the close supervision of experienced and specialized Obstetricians, helping mothers have more knowledge to protect their health during pregnancy as well as reduce reduce complications for mother and child.
To be examined and consulted with experienced doctors at Vinmec, please make an appointment on the website for support.

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