When a couple decides to have a child, the man and woman often have questions about whether their Rh blood is compatible. For quite some time now, doctors and scientists have been studying these indicators. This article will tell you about the Rh factor compatibility. You will find out in what cases you should not worry about the formation of antibodies in blood cells. It is also worth saying what the Rh factor conflict is during pregnancy.
What is Rh in human blood?
Blood rhesus is the presence or absence of a certain protein on the membrane of red blood cells. In most cases it is present. This is why approximately 80 percent of the population has positive Rh values. About 15-20 percent of people become owners of negative blood. This is not some kind of pathology. Scientists in last years they are talking about how these people become special.
Rh factor: compatibility
Quite a long time ago, data became known that some blood goes well together, but other types do not. To calculate compatibility by Rh factor for conception or for other purposes, you need to refer to the tables. They are presented to your attention in this article. Depending on what you want to know, compatibility information may vary. Let's consider in what cases the compatibility of Rh factors is recognized and when it is not.
Donation
The Rh factor will be compatible in the case of blood donation in the following cases. A person with a positive value (when the so-called protein is present on the red blood cells) can pass the material for negative people. This blood is transfused to all recipients, regardless of whether they have Rh.
The Rh factor does not provide compatibility when a negative donor donates material for a positive person. In this case, serious cell conflict may occur. It is worth recalling that during transfusion of material it is necessary to take into account the compatibility of the Rh factor. This is exactly what experienced specialists do within the walls of medical institutions.
Planning a pregnancy
The compatibility of the Rh factors of the parents of the unborn baby is of great importance. Many couples mistakenly believe that the likelihood of conception depends on these values. Thus, with long-term infertility of unknown origin, a man and a woman blame their blood type and Rh affiliation. This is completely false.
It does not matter at all whether there is protein on the red blood cells of sexual partners. This fact does not in any way affect the likelihood of fertilization. However, during fertilization and establishing the fact of pregnancy, the Rh factor (compatibility of its indicators between the father and mother) plays a big role. How do these values affect the unborn child?
Compatible Rh factors
- If a man does not have protein on his red blood cells, then most often there is no danger. In this case, a woman can be positive or negative. This fact is absolutely not important.
- When a woman's Rh factor is positive, the man's blood data is not particularly important. The father of the future baby can have any analysis indicators.
Possibility of conflict
The compatibility of the Rh factors of the parents may be impaired when the woman is negative and the man is positive. In this case, whose indicators the future baby acquired plays a big role. Currently, there are certain tests of the mother's blood. Their result can determine the identity of the child’s blood with up to 90 percent accuracy. Also, during pregnancy, women are recommended to take a blood test to determine the presence of antibodies. This helps prevent conflict and prevent it in time.
during pregnancy
While carrying a child, many women face various problems. One of them is incompatibility in blood group and Rh factor. In fact, it doesn’t matter at all what blood (type) the expectant mother has. The presence or absence of protein on the red blood cells of a pregnant woman is much more important.
If the woman’s Rh factor is negative, and the man (the father of the unborn baby) is positive, then a conflict may develop. But this will only happen if the fetus has acquired the properties of its father’s blood.
How does the complication develop?
The blood of the baby is determined even at about 12 weeks, the fetus develops independently due to the action of progesterone. In the second half of pregnancy, a continuous connection and mutual exchange of substances occurs between the mother and the unborn baby. The blood of a woman and the fetus are in no way connected with each other. However, the baby receives all its nutrients and oxygen through the umbilical cord. It gives away components it does not need, with which red blood cells can be released. Thus, the protein found on the blood cells enters the body of the expectant mother. Her circulatory system does not know this element and perceives it as a foreign body.
As a result of this entire process, the pregnant woman’s body produces antibodies. They are aimed at destroying the unknown protein and neutralizing its effect. Since most substances from the mother pass to the fetus through the umbilical cord, antibodies enter the baby’s body using the same method.
What is the risk of Rh conflict?
If a woman has those same antibodies in her blood, they can soon reach the fetus. Next, the substances begin to destroy the unknown protein and destroy the baby’s normal red blood cells. The consequence of such exposure can be many congenital diseases or intrauterine complications.
Often babies who have undergone a Rh conflict with their mother suffer from jaundice. It is worth saying that such a complication becomes one of the most harmless. When red blood cells break down, bilirubin is formed in the baby's blood. It is this that causes the yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes.
After the birth of a child with Rh conflict, diseases of the liver, heart and spleen are often detected. The pathology can be easily corrected or quite serious. It all depends on the duration of the destructive effect of antibodies on the child’s body.
In rare cases, Rh conflict during pregnancy can lead to stillbirths or
What are the signs of complications?
Is it possible to somehow find out about the developing Rh conflict during pregnancy? In most cases, pathology is detected by a blood test. Each future mom who has negative Rh values must regularly donate material from a vein for diagnosis. If the result shows the presence of antibodies in the body, then doctors take measures aimed at improving the baby’s condition.
Also, a routine ultrasound examination allows you to suspect Rh conflict during pregnancy. If, during diagnosis, a specialist discovers increased sizes of organs such as the liver and spleen, then perhaps the complication is already developing in full force. Diagnostics may also show swelling of the child’s entire body. This outcome occurs in more severe cases.
Correction of Rh conflict during pregnancy
After detecting a pathology, you need to sensibly assess the condition of the unborn child. In many ways, the treatment regimen depends on the stage of pregnancy.
So, in the early stages (up to 32-34 weeks) it is used in women. A new material is introduced into her body that does not have formed antibodies. Her blood, which is destructive for the child, is simply removed from the body. This regimen is usually carried out once a week until possible delivery.
On later pregnancy, a decision may be made to perform an emergency caesarean section. After birth, the child’s condition is corrected. Most often, the treatment regimen includes the use of medications, physiotherapy, exposure to blue lamps, and so on. In more severe cases, a blood transfusion to the newborn is used.
Prevention of Rh conflict during pregnancy
Is it possible to somehow prevent the development of pathology? Absolutely yes. Currently, there is a medicine that fights the formed antibodies.
If this is your first pregnancy, then the likelihood of developing a Rh conflict is minimal. Most often, red blood cells do not mix. However, during childbirth, the inevitable formation of antibodies occurs. That is why it is necessary to administer the antidote within three days after the birth of a child with positive Rh in a negative mother. This effect will avoid complications in subsequent pregnancies.
What to do if time is lost and another conception occurs? Is there any way to protect your child from conflict? In this case, the expectant mother is recommended to regularly monitor her blood condition through routine tests. The above substance is introduced into the body of a pregnant woman at approximately 28 weeks. This allows you to carry your baby to term without complications.
Summarizing
You now know what the compatibility table for blood groups and Rh factor looks like. If you do not have the same protein on your red blood cells, then you should definitely tell your doctor about it. During pregnancy, special monitoring will be carried out over your well-being and the behavior of the fetus. This will allow you to avoid the occurrence of Rh conflict or prevent it in a timely manner. Good health to you!
Pregnancy calculators
Here you can calculate the child’s blood type based on the blood groups of the parents, find out how the blood type is transmitted from parents to children, and look at the table of the blood type of children and parents.
The widespread division of people into 4 blood groups throughout the world is based on the ABO system. A and B are erythrocyte antigens (agglutinogens). If a person does not have them, then his blood belongs to the first group (0). If there is only A - to the second, only B - to the third, and if both A and B - to the fourth (see). Accurate determination of blood belonging to a specific group is possible only in laboratory conditions using special sera.
According to the Rh factor, the entire population of the globe is divided into those who have it (Rh-positive) and those who do not have this factor (Rh-negative). The absence of Rhesus does not affect health in any way. However, a woman has it with her child, especially with repeated pregnancies, if this factor is absent in her blood, but it is present in the baby’s blood.
Inheritance of blood type in theory
Inheritance of blood groups and Rh factor occurs according to the well-studied laws of genetics. To understand this process a little, you will need to remember the school biology curriculum and consider specific examples.
From the parents, the child is given genes that carry information about the presence or absence of agglutinogens (A, B or 0), as well as the presence or absence of the Rh factor. Simplified, the genotypes of people of different blood groups are written as follows:
- The first blood group is 00. This person received one 0 (“zero”) from his mother, the other from his father. Accordingly, a person with the first group can only pass on 0 to his offspring.
- The second blood group is AA or A0. A or 0 can be passed on to a child from such a parent.
- The third blood group is BB or B0. Either B or 0 is inherited.
- The fourth blood group is AB. Either A or B is inherited.
As for the Rh factor, it is inherited as a dominant trait. This means that if it is transmitted to a person from at least one of the parents, it will definitely manifest itself.
If both parents are negative for the Rh factor, then all children in their family will also not have it. If one parent has the Rh factor and the other does not, the child may or may not have Rh. If both parents are Rh positive, then in at least 75% of cases the child will also be positive. However, the appearance of a baby with Rh negative in such a family is not nonsense. This is quite likely if the parents are heterozygous - i.e. have genes responsible for both the presence and absence of the Rh factor. In practice, this can be assumed simply by asking blood relatives. It is likely that among them there will be an Rh-negative person.
Specific examples of inheritance:
The simplest option, but also quite rare: both parents have a negative blood group. The child will inherit their group in 100% of cases.
Another example: mom’s blood type is positive, and dad’s blood type is negative. A child can receive 0 from his mother, and A or B from his father. This means that the possible options will be A0 (group II), B0 (group III). Those. The blood type of a baby in such a family will never coincide with the parent’s. The Rh factor can be either positive or negative.
In a family where one of the parents has a second negative blood group, and the other has a third positive blood type, it is possible to have a baby with any of the four blood groups and any Rh value. For example, a child can receive A or 0 from his mother, and B or 0 from his father. Accordingly, the following combinations are possible: AB (IV), A0(II), B0 (III), 00(I).
Table of the probabilities of having a child with a certain blood type given the corresponding data on the blood types of the parents:
| first | second | third | fourth | |
| first | I - 100% | I - 25% II - 75% |
I - 25% III - 75% |
II - 50% III - 50% |
| second | I - 25% II - 75% |
I - 6% II - 94% |
I - 6% II - 19% III - 19% IV - 56% |
II - 50% III - 37% IV - 13% |
| third | I - 25% III - 75% |
I - 6% II - 19% III - 19% IV - 56% |
I - 6% III - 94% |
II - 37% III - 50% IV - 13% |
| fourth | II - 50% III - 50% |
II - 50% III - 37% IV - 13% |
II - 37% III - 50% IV - 13% |
II - 25% III - 25% IV - 50% |
It is worth remembering that blood type calculated using charts, tables or calculators cannot be considered final. You can accurately find out your baby’s blood type only from the results of laboratory tests.
Questions for the article
Another point that women with a negative Rh factor must strictly follow. The first pregnancy proceeds in the most favorable way, even if the fetus has “positive” blood, so make every effort not to abort it. Abortions in women with a negative Rh factor are fraught with serious complications and further infertility, so choose from the existing arsenal contraception the one that suits you so that the child is desired. Be healthy!
If you have Rh negative-factor, and your husband (the child’s father) is positive, we recommend that you read this article carefully.
Rh factor
Most people have proteins on the surface of their red blood cells called the Rh factor (or Rh antigen). These people have a positive Rh factor. But 15% of men and women do not have these proteins on their red blood cells - that is, they are Rh negative.
The Rh factor is inherited as more strong sign and never changes throughout life. Rhesus is determined simultaneously with the blood group, although they are completely independent. Rh blood does not indicate any health, immune or metabolic disorders. It is simply a genetic trait, an individual trait, the same as eye or skin color.
So, the Rh factor is an immunological property of blood, which depends on the presence of a special type of protein.
Rhesus conflict
At the 7-8th week of pregnancy, the formation of hematopoiesis in the embryo begins. A few red blood cells from an Rh-positive baby, crossing the placental barrier, enter the circulatory system of the Rh-negative mother. And then the mother’s body realizes that it is being attacked by a foreign protein, and reacts to this by producing antibodies that seek to destroy it. In the “heat of battle”, from the mother’s blood through the placenta, the “protectors” penetrate into the body of the unborn baby and there they continue to fight with his blood, destroying and gluing together red blood cells. If there are a lot of such uninvited fighters, without timely help the fetus may die. This is the Rh conflict, otherwise this phenomenon is called Rh sensitization.
Note that in 70% of cases, a Rh-negative mother practically does not react in any way to the presence of the Rh factor in the fetus. And in 30% of pregnant women, the body, perceiving the fetus as something foreign, begins to produce protective antibodies against the red blood cells of its own child.
In most cases, when you first encounter the Rh antigen, for example, during your first pregnancy (regardless of its outcome), not many antibodies are produced. But after the first birth (or miscarriage), as well as during any encounter with Rh-positive blood (for example, during transfusion of incompatible blood), “memory cells” remain in the woman’s body, which during subsequent pregnancies (again, when the Rh-negative mother child is Rh positive) organize the rapid and powerful production of antibodies against the Rh factor of the fetus. Moreover, the reaction of the female immune system to the Rh antigen of the unborn child during the second and third pregnancies will be much faster than during the first. Accordingly, the risk is higher.
First pregnancy of a woman with a negative Rh factor
If a woman with a negative Rh factor has not previously encountered Rh-positive blood, then she does not have antibodies, and therefore, there is no risk of Rh conflict with the fetus. During the first pregnancy, not many antibodies are produced. If the number of fetal red blood cells that entered the mother’s blood was significant, “memory cells” remain in the woman’s body, which in subsequent pregnancies organize the rapid production of antibodies against the Rh factor.
According to medical literature, after the first pregnancy, immunization occurs in 10% of women. If a woman with Rh-negative blood avoids Rh immunization after her first pregnancy, then the next pregnancy with an Rh-positive fetus, the probability of immunization again is 10%.
Monitoring a woman with a negative Rh factor during pregnancy
Often such a pregnancy is no more difficult than in women with positive Rh. We simply must not forget about the most careful and regular monitoring of our health. An expectant mother who has a negative Rh factor will have to donate blood from a vein quite often for the presence of antibodies. Up to thirty-two weeks of pregnancy, this analysis is carried out once a month, from 32 to 35 weeks - twice a month, and then weekly until delivery.
Based on the level of antibodies in the blood of a pregnant woman, the doctor can draw conclusions about the expected Rh factor in the child and determine the onset of the Rh conflict.
Prevention of Rhesus conflict
If there is a risk of Rh conflict, a woman is tested repeatedly during pregnancy for the presence of Rh antibodies. If they are not there, it means that the woman is not sensitized and there will be no Rh conflict during this pregnancy. Immediately after birth, the baby's Rh factor is determined. If Rh is positive, then no later than 72 hours after birth the mother is given anti-Rh immunoglobulin, which will prevent the development of Rh conflict in a subsequent pregnancy.
Anti-Rhesus immunoglobulin breaks the immunological chain and prevents the production of anti-Rhesus antibodies. This drug also binds aggressive antibodies formed in the mother’s blood and removes them from the body. Timely administration of anti-Rh globulin with a high degree of probability prevents the development of Rh conflict during subsequent pregnancy.
You will do the right thing if you find out in advance at the maternity hospital where you plan to give birth whether they have anti-D immunoglobulin (of course, if you have a negative Rh factor), if they don’t, buy it in advance and take it with you!
IN Lately the same vaccine is administered for prophylaxis during pregnancy (between the 28th and 32nd weeks) provided that the pregnancy proceeds well and antibodies are not detected in the blood of the expectant mother. After administration of the drug, the blood is no longer tested for antibodies.
Women with a negative Rh factor should carry out the same immunoglobulin prophylaxis within 72 hours after:
– ectopic pregnancy;
– abortion;
– placental abruption;
– amniocetosis (a test done by inserting a long, thin needle through the abdominal wall and into the uterus);
– spontaneous miscarriage;
- blood transfusions.
If a woman still has Rh antibodies and the fetus is Rh positive
If a woman has Rh antibodies in her blood and their titer increases, this indicates the presence of a Rh conflict.
The mother's antibodies cross the placenta and attack the baby's red blood cells. At the same time, a large amount of a substance called bilirubin appears in his blood. Bilirubin turns your baby's skin yellow (jaundice) and can damage his brain. As the fetus's red blood cells are continuously destroyed, its liver and spleen try to speed up the production of new red blood cells, thereby increasing in size. In the end, they also cannot cope with the replenishment of red blood cells. Severe oxygen starvation (anemia) occurs - the content of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood becomes alarmingly low, which can lead to a number of serious disorders in the fetus's body. This condition is called hemolytic disease.
In case of Rhesus conflict, treatment is necessary in a specialized perinatal center, where both the woman and the child will be under constant supervision.
If it is possible to bring the pregnancy to 38 weeks, a planned caesarean section is performed. If not, they resort to intrauterine blood transfusion: they penetrate the umbilical cord vein through the anterior abdominal wall of the mother and transfuse 20-50 ml of red blood cells into the fetus. The procedure is carried out under ultrasound control.
In emergency cases, within 36 hours after the baby is born, a replacement blood transfusion is performed, he is injected with Rh-negative blood of the same group as the mother, and resuscitation measures are carried out. The mother of such a child is not allowed to breastfeed him in the first days. This is explained by the fact that anti-Rhesus antibodies, which were formed during pregnancy, are passed to the newborn with mother's milk. And these antibodies seek to destroy the child’s red blood cells.
Summarize
As soon as you decide to have a baby, take a blood test to determine the Rh factor. Moreover, not only you, but also your partner should do this. If the future father’s Rh factor is positive, and the mother’s is negative, then the probable Rh factor of the fetus is determined as 50% to 50%. In this case, a couple planning to become parents should consult a doctor: he will tell the expectant mother what preventive measures can prevent the development of Rh conflict. Do not neglect the advice of your gynecologist, listen to him and follow all the instructions he prescribes. If the doctor, looking at the test results, said: “Rh is negative,” do not be upset! If you are a vigilant and responsible mother, everything will be fine with your child.
Despite the prevailing stereotype that all people are initially equal, nature itself has endowed us all with distinctive individual traits. That’s why we differ from each other in color type, build, temperament... But if hair color and even figure can be changed of your own free will, then there is a classification according to which you will under no circumstances be able to change your “environment” and move to another category. It's about about four blood groups and only two variants of the Rh factor. These innate parameters cannot be changed during life at your own discretion and they are given once and for all. Moreover, throughout your life they have a direct impact not only on you, but also on your children and grandchildren. Therefore, they should be taken seriously. Especially the Rh factor, because its importance is practically equal to the importance of all other blood characteristics taken together. And they, in turn, are a direct reflection of the genetic code of each person, that is, in essence, his life, health, appearance, longevity, etc. Thus, it becomes clear that the Rh factor strongly influences the offspring, as one of the most important stages and tasks of the body. But how exactly?
There are other systems for assessing and analyzing blood systems, and their number is regularly increasing. But they are of interest mainly to specialists (biochemical researchers, doctors, geneticists), and most people have never heard of them, and do not need this information. But everyone knows about the Rh factor, both men and women. The former can open their passport at any time and see a stamp indicating their blood type and Rh factor, made at the military registration and enlistment office at the beginning of conscription age. The latter will definitely encounter or have already encountered this concept as soon as they think about pregnancy and the birth of a child. The modern education system introduces schoolchildren to the concepts of blood group and Rh factor in the basic course of human anatomy. But, to be honest, school knowledge is often perceived by us as something imposed and is often perceived inattentively, forgotten soon after passing the test and receiving a grade on the relevant topic. And only with age and entry into adulthood, the value of this or that information is revealed to us in a new light. Fortunately, today there are no problems with access to any information, and as for such important knowledge about your own body as your blood type and its Rh factor, every doctor will be happy to tell you about them. We suggest refreshing your knowledge right now, without looking up from your computer screen.
What is the Rh factor? How to determine your Rh factor
The Rh factor (abbreviated simply Rh or Rh) is one of 29 blood group systems used worldwide today. For example, the ABO system (or the first, second, third and fourth blood groups) is the most common characteristic for assessing human blood, and the Rh factor is considered to be the second most clinically important system. Unlike blood groups, of which there are four, the Rh factor is characterized by only two options. It is either positive (Rh+) or negative (Rh-), which is determined, respectively, by the presence or absence of a special antigen protein (or, in scientific terms, lipoprotein) on the surface of red blood cells. In fact, there are more than 40 such antigens, and each of them is designated by its own code, consisting of numbers, letters and/or other symbols. But in determining the Rh factor, a key role is played by antigens of the so-called type D and, to a lesser extent, types C, E and E. Their presence or, conversely, absence determines the Rh status of a person. It is known that the vast majority of the population of our planet, more precisely 85% of Europeans and literally 99% of Asians, have a positive Rh factor, that is, there is a named protein on the surface of their red blood cells. And 15% of people, half of them, that is, as much as 7%, are natives of Africa, do not have Rh, that is, their Rh factor is negative. But even “Rh positive” people can have different Rh status.
The fact is that, as with the combination of chromosomes that influences the formation of the sex of the unborn child, we also get the Rh factor from our parents. And each of them, in turn, also has data received from his parents. Thus, if Rh was dominant in the blood of both parents, then the child will receive the Rh factor Rh+, that is, a positive Rh factor. The Rh factor Rr, that is, inherited from one parent with a dominant and from one with a recessive Rh factor, will also be dominant, but will behave differently when combined with other genomes in the future. And only if both parents have a negative Rh factor, then the child can also only be Rh negative: rr. Although the Rh factor of both grandparents will also definitely have an effect. Too difficult? Let's look at an example. Suppose that the father of the unborn child has positive Rh, and the mother has negative Rh. But there is also a grandmother with negative Rh. That is, we have the following initial data: father Rr and mother rr. In this case, the child can be born with both Rr and rr Rh factors with a 50/50 probability. If both parents have a positive Rh factor, but both grandfathers have a negative Rh status, then the children will receive the same number of dominant R and recessive r genes. And they can get the Rh factor of any of the options: RR (Rh+), Rr(Rh+), rr(Rh-). But note that the probability positive Rh factor will still be three times higher than the probability of a negative one: 75% versus 25% probability. In the office of a gynecologist-obstetrician you can see a visual table where at the intersection different indicators Rh factors of the parents indicate the options for the Rh factors of the unborn child. The same visual information can be easily found on the Internet in order to find out in an accessible form the chances of your heir to have positive or negative Rh status.
But at the same time, these tables, and even a blood test for the Rh factor, will make it possible to find out only one fact: whether the owner of the blood has a positive or negative Rh factor. More accurate data, that is, the presence of dominant and recessive traits in generations, can only be determined as a result of more in-depth studies conducted exclusively in specialized clinics and/or genetics institutes. You can, of course, try to use reverse logic and calculate the type of Rh status based on children, but it is unlikely that anyone will do such painstaking calculations. It is enough to know that holders of negative Rh status under no circumstances can carry positive Rh in their genome and, accordingly, pass it on to their descendants. Rh positive always tends to dominate and as a result gives positive Rh status. And in general, genetics knows only three circumstances for the inheritance of Rh status:
- Both parents with a negative Rh factor can only give birth to a child with the same negative Rh factor as theirs.
- One parent with a positive and the other with a negative Rh factor has a chance of both Rh-positive and Rh-negative offspring, and a child with a positive Rh status will be born with a probability of six out of eight cases, while a child without Rh antigen - in only two out of eight cases.
- Two Rh-positive parents with a probability of 9 out of 16 will give birth to Rh-positive children with completely dominant Rhesus, with a probability of 6 out of 16 - Rh-positive children with the inclinations of recessive and dominant traits, and only in one case out of 16 their child will have a negative Rhesus -status.
In total, there are only 9 possible inheritance options for the Rh factor, and you and your children, as well as your parents, belong to one of them. You can find your option in the list right now:
100% of children will have Rh-positive blood factor - Rh+(DD)
- Mother is Rh negative - Rh-(dd)
The father is Rh positive - Rh+(DD)
50% of their children will have a Rh positive factor - Rh+(DD),
50% of their children will have a Rh positive factor - Rh+(Dd).
The father is Rh positive - Rh+(Dd)
25% of their children will be Rh positive - Rh+(DD),
25% of their children will have a Rh-negative factor - Rh-(dd).
The father is Rh positive - Rh+(Dd)
- The mother is Rh positive - Rh+(DD)
100% of their children will have a Rh positive factor - Rh+(Dd).
- The mother is Rh positive - Rh+(Dd)
50% of their children will have a Rh positive factor - Rh+(Dd),
50% of their children will be Rh-negative - Rh-(dd).
- The mother is Rh-negative - Rh-(dd)
The father is Rh-negative - Rh-(dd)
100% of their children are Rh-negative (Rh-(dd).
If you carefully examine the table, you can pay attention to an additional factor in the form of the designations DD, Dd and dd. This is an abbreviation for the most significant gene, which can be either dominant (D) or recessive (d). The genotype of a person who is Rh positive can be either homozygous DD or heterozygous Dd. The genotype of a person with a negative Rh factor can only correspond to a dd homozygote.
Why go into all this complexity? Why even know and take into account the Rh factor, yours and your relatives? When and why might this information be useful? Firstly, the combination of dominant and recessive traits and the resulting heterozygosity of the organism is preserved in genes and can influence the formation of many subsequent generations. Secondly, genetic characteristics, including the Rh factor, do not exist on their own, but are inextricably linked with the physiological and anatomical characteristics of the fetus, child, and then an adult. Genetics have already learned to determine the color of the hair and eyes of the unborn baby, the shape of the teeth and the tendency to early baldness, the presence of musical abilities and the likelihood of ambidexterity long before the birth of the little man. But if these signs are more likely to be in the realm of parental curiosity, then the importance of early identification of genetic and/or inherited diseases and other abnormalities cannot be overestimated. Dominant and recessive traits, including the Rh factor, are determined during intrauterine development. And it is necessary to know the Rh status of a couple planning to become parents because of the existence of such a phenomenon as Rh conflict. Its probability is determined before the start of a planned pregnancy in order to avoid major problems during gestation.
What is Rh conflict? What to do in case of Rh conflict
Rh conflict is an incompatibility between the blood of the mother and child according to the Rh factor. You may ask, how is this possible, since a child is the fruit of the mother’s body and the result of crossing her genes with the father’s genes?! This is precisely why a discrepancy arises: when the positive Rh factor of the child, inherited from the father, “meets” the negative Rh factor of the mother. A situation arises that is paradoxical at first glance and completely logical when analyzed judiciously. Just remember, as stated at the beginning of the article, that a positive Rh factor is nothing more than the presence of a certain protein in the blood. The body of a pregnant woman with a negative Rh factor “does not know” about the existence of such a protein; it does not have it itself and has never encountered it. Therefore, when the Rh-positive blood of the fetus enters the mother’s body, the mother perceives this protein as something foreign and potentially dangerous to itself. And if so, it begins to produce antibodies against the fetal red blood cells, which carry the antigen protein responsible for the Rh factor. Of course, the blood of the mother and fetus do not mix directly. But their bodies inevitably exchange metabolic products, some cells and substances through the permeable walls of the placenta. In the same way, antibodies against a protein in the blood of a child with a positive Rh factor are sent to him from the mother. This protective mechanism, biologically verified and deeply “programmed” in a person, cannot be stopped, and the longer the conflict of Rh factors, that is, essentially, organisms, mother and fetus, lasts, the greater the number of antibodies hostile to the fetus. This poses a direct danger to the baby’s health, so doctors always find out in advance what Rh factor each of the future parents has.
The fetal red blood cells, attacked by the antibodies of the mother’s body, die and turn into decay products that are toxic and poison the blood, cells, organ systems, and most importantly, the embryo’s brain. One of the most concentrated substances, bilirubin, gives the baby’s skin a yellowish color. This is where the term neonatal jaundice comes from, which is actually a hemolytic disease (that is, a disease of destruction) of newborns. This must be understood in such a way that, of course, it is not the babies who are destroyed, but their blood cells. However, the harm from this is still considerable. In addition to the brain, the baby’s liver and spleen are affected, then other internal organs and their systems. Fortunately, modern medicine has reached a sufficient level of development to withstand these dangers. At the first suspicion of the possibility of Rh conflict, a pregnant woman comes under the close supervision of specialists, and if Rh antibodies are detected, special measures are taken to smooth out the incompatibility of the blood of mother and fetus. Subject to timely diagnosis and disciplined implementation of the doctor’s instructions, a successful resolution of the Rh conflict is more than likely. To do this, in women with a negative Rh factor, the presence of antibodies in the blood is checked starting from the 8th week of pregnancy: it is at this time that the Rh factor appears in the fetus. If necessary, a drug containing anti-Rhesus immunoglobulin is injected into the body. In other words, although the Rh factor is inherited in a recessive-dominant manner and cannot be changed, with the right approach and sufficient awareness it does not threaten health at all - neither yours nor your loved ones. Therefore, know your body, love yourself and be healthy!
It is no secret that bearing a child is a difficult process and is fraught with many dangers and nuances, for example, a negative Rh factor in a woman during pregnancy. If you believe the statistics, many lives have been claimed by the lack of knowledge of what blood type and Rh factor a person has. This is one of the most common factors in miscarriages. Every expectant mother should have an idea about the Rh factor, Rh conflict, as well as other nuances of this pathological process.
The concept of the Rh factor and Rh conflict
Blood is one of those human systems that is constantly under the radar of scientists. From time to time new systems are found in it. The most important and widespread blood system is the ABO system. In it, experts identified a specific antigen D, which is responsible for the Rh factor.
Based on the localization of antigen D, one can safely determine the Rh factor of the circulatory system. If D is found on the outside of red blood cells, then the Rh factor is positive. If a person does not have this antigen, then he is negative.
Thanks to the presence of this antigen, the subject's Rh is determined. With modern equipment, this diagnosis does not take much time and is not very expensive.
The chance that a child will have a positive Rh factor if the mother has a negative Rh factor and the father has a positive Rh factor is 65%.
It is Rh positive in the fetus and the absence of it in the mother that can provoke Rh conflict, since the body of the woman and the fetus constantly exchange various substances and substances through the blood system.
Everything happens as follows. Fetal blood enters the mother's body during blood exchange. The woman’s immune system detects antigen D in the incoming blood, identifies it as foreign and produces antibodies that harm the child by destroying his circulatory system.
It is important for every person, especially women, to know their Rh factor and blood type. This data is most often required during emergencies and can save a person's life.
The effect of negative Rh on pregnancy
But Rh conflict occurs not only with an Rh-positive father.
There are several reasons that cause Rh conflict:- the fact of a second conception with the presence of such a reason, a negative factor in a pregnant woman;
- penetration of the baby’s blood into the woman’s body during the first pregnancy;
- blood transfusion into the mother's circulatory system before pregnancy, if the Rh factor was not taken into account;
- various pathological processes during the period of bearing a child: exfoliation of placental tissue, internal hemorrhages;
- the presence of diabetes of mellitus etiology in women with pregnancy.
Naturally, you should always know your Rh and be prepared for any force majeure, but nevertheless, the percentage of good births in Rh-negative women is very high, especially in the absence of the D antigen and in the father of the child.
During pregnancy in later stages, blood must be donated frequently in order to detect pathology in time and begin to eliminate it.
During the first pregnancy, the chance of pathology due to the Rh factor is extremely small, because the mother’s immune system has not yet formed a system of antibodies to the D antigen in the fetus and with minimal therapy the birth will go smoothly.
There may be a risk of blood deficiency in the child, but regular transfusion can solve this problem. In this case, the woman should be under the strict guidance of a gynecologist in order to avoid problems with the fetus.
At a certain point in pregnancy, there is a period characterized by a peak in the production of specific antibodies to the fetal antigen. At this point, you can give one injection, which is called immunoglobulin. It belongs to the gamma globulin fraction and its function is to prevent the development of maternal antibodies to the fetus in the future. This is very useful if parents are planning a second pregnancy.
If this drug is not administered to a woman, then with the advent of a second pregnancy, the likelihood of a Rh conflict increases significantly and carries with it consequences much worse than a mild form of anemia in a newborn. We are talking about a very terrible pathology - hemolytic disease. All red blood cells are destroyed, bilirubin levels rise and jaundice can be observed. The fetal brain is also susceptible to damage. The chance of giving birth to a healthy child, even with the necessary assistance, is very small.
It is worth appreciating the importance of the vaccine with immunoglobulin after the first pregnancy, because there are often cases of abortion by artificial means, because bearing a fetus in some cases is not humane towards the parents or the baby. If an abortion was performed on a woman who has a negative Rh factor, then there should be no talk of a new pregnancy, because the consequences can be fatal.
Medicine does not stand still, and immunoglobulin very well solves the problem of antibodies developed by the mother to the fetus. Therefore, you need to make your plans about pregnancy in advance and in consultation with your doctor.
Features of management of pregnant women with negative Rhesus
Pregnant women who suspect an Rh conflict with the fetus need to go to the hospital as soon as possible in order to constantly be under the 24-hour supervision of doctors who, if anything happens, will be able to provide the necessary emergency care.
But there is also a possibility that the pregnancy will be completely normal. The reason for this may be a reduced level of immunity in the mother, who will not be able to produce the required amount of antibodies in response to fetal antigens in a short period of time. But this has its drawbacks, because with a weak immune system there is a high risk of infectious and viral diseases that can negatively affect pregnancy.
Antibodies need to be monitored at least once a week. This will help to diagnose Rh conflict in a timely manner and take urgent action to save the mother and baby.
It is worth noting that a negative Rh factor during pregnancy depends on your blood type. That is, it can be argued that blood type and pregnancy depend in direct proportion to each other. Negative blood type during pregnancy is the main cause of the problem. Thus, 1 negative blood group and 3 negative blood group cause Rh conflict more often than group 2. The third group, although it does not occur quite often, the chance of Rh conflict in its presence is very high. With blood group 4, Rh conflict does not arise, since there is no cause in the form of agglutinins. The fourth blood group of the mother is the most favorable and it is with the fourth group that you can not be afraid of getting pregnant.
Rh conflict has a negative impact on the fetus, the consequences of which can last a lifetime.
These include:- diseases of the blood and cardiovascular system;
- diseases of the liver and gall bladder in the form of hepatitis and jaundice;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- increased risk of diseases that have a hereditary predisposition.
But don't despair. Modern medicine has found more than one method of dealing with Rh conflict; pregnancy with a negative Rh factor is possible and the consequences are not terrible if you follow some important rules.
Prevention and treatment of negative Rh factor
A few decades ago, women with a negative Rh factor were recommended to give birth to only one child, and doctors were categorically opposed to terminating the pregnancy with the first baby.
Today the situation is completely different, which is good news. With the help of preventive methods, if a woman has a negative blood group during pregnancy, she has the opportunity to freely make plans for the birth of her next children.
If a woman has antibodies to fetal antigen D, then she must adhere to several important rules when managing pregnancy:- It is necessary to eliminate the production of specific antibodies by the woman’s body or reduce their number.
- It is necessary to avoid certain procedures that increase the risk of fetal blood entering the mother's circulatory system.
- Use immunoglobulin injections if necessary.
- prescribing a blood test for the presence of antibodies in the first trimester of pregnancy;
- if the titer is high, tests need to be repeated every week;
- constant monitoring of the fetus through tests and ultrasound examinations;
- if it is impossible to carry out a blood transfusion to the fetus, then it becomes necessary to induce labor, since any delays are dangerous for the baby’s life;
- A woman should be vaccinated only after cases such as abortion or conception outside the uterus.
It is important to remember that during the first birth, the baby is most often not in danger if the woman has not received Rh-positive blood transfusions. The second birth is much more dangerous in terms of the occurrence of pathologies, but this can be avoided if immunoglobulins are administered to the woman in a timely manner.
There is no need to panic, because modern medicine has gone far ahead and the problem of negative Rh factor during pregnancy is easily solved. The main thing is that you need to spend more time under the supervision of doctors and monitor your health and the health of your baby.
Everyone knows that Rh conflict is bad, but few people know how it manifests itself and what it threatens. Unfortunately, ideas about this problem appear only when we are faced with its negative consequences, although they could have been avoided. That is why it is necessary to understand this issue.
What is the Rh factor?The Rh factor is a system of human antigens that is located on the surface of the red blood cell. If the Rh factor is present in the blood, then “Rh positive” is determined, if it is not, then “Rh negative”.
Many women learn about their blood type and Rh factor already when they are pregnant, when registering at the antenatal clinic. Remember that blood type and Rh factor do not change throughout life, and you need to find out as early as possible; to do this, donating blood from a vein once is enough.
What is Rh conflict?
If during pregnancy a woman with Rh-negative blood receives Rh-positive red blood cells from the fetus (we’ll talk about the reasons later), then her body begins to produce antibodies in response to the foreign antigen.
Repeated entry of Rh-positive erythrocytes causes the massive formation of Rh antibodies, which easily overcome the barrier of the placenta and enter the fetal bloodstream, causing the development of the fetus and newborn. Antibodies are directed against the Rh factor on the surface of the red blood cell and lead to the destruction of fetal red blood cells.
Severe anemia develops in utero, which leads to tissue hypoxia, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and dysfunction of the internal organs of the fetus. When a red blood cell is destroyed, a large amount of bilirubin enters the blood, which, deposited in the brain, leads to encephalopathy and kernicterus. Without treatment, anemia and dysfunction of internal organs steadily progress, and the terminal stage of hemolytic disease of the fetus develops - edematous, in which fluid accumulates in the chest and abdominal cavity. As a rule, at this stage the fetus dies in utero.
It is worth noting that Rh conflict is one of the reasons, but never affects conception and miscarriage in the early stages.
When should you be concerned?
Mom is Rh positive - dad is Rh negative: there is no reason to worry, this situation does not affect conception, pregnancy, or childbirth.
Mom is Rh negative - dad is Rh negative: There will be no problems either, the child will be born with Rh-negative blood.
Mom is Rh negative - dad is Rh positive: this situation requires special attention not only from doctors, but also from the woman herself, since your health is in your hands, and all subsequent information is extremely important to you.
Women with Rh-negative blood should approach the issue very responsibly. Remember that every unwanted pregnancy increases the risk of not having a child in the future.
Situations leading to the development of Rh conflict
As mentioned above, the trigger point for the development of Rh conflict is the entry of Rh-positive red blood cells of the fetus into the bloodstream of the Rh-negative mother.
When it's possible:
artificial termination of pregnancy () at any time;
spontaneous miscarriage at any time;
;
after childbirth, including after;
nephropathy (preeclampsia);
bleeding during pregnancy;
invasive procedures during pregnancy: cordocentesis, chorionic villus biopsy;
abdominal injuries during pregnancy;
history of blood transfusion without taking into account the Rh factor (currently this is extremely rare).
All described situations require specific prophylaxis, the administration of anti-Rhesus gammaglobulin.
Prevention of Rhesus conflict
The only proven method of preventing Rh conflict at present is the administration of anti-Rh gammaglobulin - and patients should remember this first of all! All situations described above require the administration of anti-Rhesus gammaglobulin in the first 72 hours, but the sooner the better. For high effectiveness of the preventive action, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the timing of drug administration.
Pregnancy in a woman with Rh negative blood
After registering a patient with Rh-negative blood, it is recommended to determine the titer of anti-Rh antibodies in the blood monthly, starting from the early stages of pregnancy.
The first signs of possible hemolytic disease of the fetus are determined by the results of an ultrasound scan during pregnancy.
Home " Life " If the parents have a positive Rh factor. Negative Rh factor in a child - normal or pathological
Rh factor is a certain property of red blood cells, and it is inherent in most people. If human blood has this property, then it is called Rh-positive. If red blood cells do not have this property, they are called Rh negative.
And if the absence or presence of the Rh factor has no significance for human health, then there are a number of situations in which the role of these properties becomes extremely important.
For example, this is very important for a pregnant woman with Rh-negative blood. If her child's blood turns out to be Rh-positive, then there is a high probability of developing a conflict, which poses a great danger to the newborn.
Research shows that the Rh factor is inherited, and, in accordance with the general laws of heredity, a child inherits one trait from mothers, and the second - from father, therefore, the group properties of his blood, including the Rh factor, are composed of two “halves”.
If a woman’s blood is Rh-negative, and her husband’s is Rh-positive, and these “halves” are in some sense different, then what will happen?
Research shows that Rh positive is able to suppress symptoms of Rh negative, making it unidentifiable, the consequences of which can be quite important.
For example, a woman has blood Rh negative, and for a man - Rh positive, but she has a masked Rh-negative trait. The child, by inheriting, equally inherits from the father obvious positive and hidden negative factors, but in combination with maternal negative factors, the child will have Rh-negative blood.
According to the same laws of heredity, an amazing case can also occur when parents with Rh-positive blood give birth to a child who has Rh-negative blood.
This is explained by the presence of a hidden Rh-negative trait in the mother and father. If they pass on obvious Rh-positive properties to the child, then the baby will have the same Rh-positive blood. However, if both of them reward the child with their disguised Rh-negative factors, which in combination become obvious, then a paradox will be observed in which both parents have Rh-positive blood, and the child has Rh-negative blood.
If both spouses have Rh negative blood, then the child will have the same blood.. This is a good option in which Rh conflict will not occur. This coincidence is happy, but rare, since Rh-negative blood is not so common - about 15% among Europeans and no more than 5% among Asians.
But even if a man has Rh-positive blood, the child is not necessarily in danger, and practice shows that most of children are born healthy. When discussing danger, doctors talk about risk, or the likelihood of Rh conflict.
During pregnancy, the mother and are combined into a single biological system, but between them there is also a border barrier in the form of the placenta, which protects the fetus from harmful factors. These factors may come from the maternal body, but at the same time the mother is also protected from dangerous influences from the fetus. It is the placental barrier that makes it possible to successfully resolve the majority of Rh-incompatible pregnancies.
But sometimes this barrier turns out to be flawed, in which case they penetrate through the placenta into the mother’s body. fetal red blood cells. If the blood of the child and mother is incompatible according to the Rh factor, then the red blood cells of the fetus turn out to be foreign to the mother, and the body’s immune system includes protective reactions against everything foreign. Rh antibodies arise and begin to eliminate incompatible red blood cells, and this happens not only in the mother’s bloodstream. Penetrating into the blood of the fetus, they carry out their destructive work there. The consequence may be intrauterine lesions of the fetus, premature birth, or severe illness of the newborn.
Methods have now been developed to allow save the child, but this help should not be delayed, therefore, having information about a woman’s Rh-negative blood, doctors are preparing a set of measures to save the life and health of the child.
What blood type will the future baby inherit? - this question worries many couples who are “waiting for a miracle.” To find out, we will tell you what blood type and Rh factor are, and whether it is possible to predict in advance what they will be like in a child.
What is blood?
Blood is nothing more than a liquid tissue that circulates inside the human body and maintains proper metabolism.
It consists of:
- liquid part, that is, plasma and cellular elements;
- erythrocytes and leukocytes;
- platelets;
- gas (nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide);
- from organic substances, which include proteins, carbohydrates, fats and nitrogenous compounds.
What are the different blood types?
Blood type is nothing more than a difference in the structure of proteins. As an indicator, it cannot change under any circumstances. Therefore, blood group can be considered a constant value.
It was discovered by the scientist Karl Landsteiner at the dawn of the 19th century, who stood at the origins of the definition of the ABO system.
According to this system, blood is divided into 4 known groups:
- I (0) - group in which antigens A and B are absent (molecules involved in the formation of immunological memory);
- II (A) - blood with antigen A in its composition;
- III (B) - blood with antigen B;
- IV (AB) - this group contains two antigens, A and B.
The unique ABO (blood group) system changed scientists' understanding of the composition and nature of blood and, most importantly, helped to avoid errors during transfusion that occurred as a result of incompatibility of the patient's blood with the donor's.
Rh factor - what is it?
The Rh factor is a protein antigen found on the surface of red blood cells. Scientists first discovered it back in 1919 in monkeys and a little later confirmed the existence of the Rh factor in humans.
The Rh factor includes more than 40 antigens, which are designated using numbers and letters. The most common Rh antigens found in nature are D (85%), C (70%), E (30%) and E (80%).
According to statistics, 85% of Europeans become carriers of a positive Rh factor, and the remaining 15% - negative.
Rh factor mixing
Surely you have heard that when mixing the blood of parents with different Rh factors, a conflict often occurs. This happens if the mother is Rh negative and the father is Rh positive. In this case, the child’s health depends primarily on whose rhesus is “stronger.”
If the future baby decides to inherit the father’s blood, then the mother’s blood will “increase” the content of Rh antibodies every day. The problem is that, penetrating inside the fetus, they will destroy red blood cells, then the body itself, which ultimately can lead to hemolytic disease of the baby.
What are Mendel's laws?
The laws of Gregor Mendel, an Austrian biologist, which geneticists and doctors rely on, are nothing more than a clear description of the principles of inheritance of certain characteristics.
They served as a strong basis for the subsequent emergence of the science of genetics, and it is on them that one should rely when predicting the blood type of a child.
Principles of inheritance of blood groups according to Mendel
- According to the laws of Gregor Mendel, if parents have blood type 1, they will have children without antigens A and B.
- If the parents of the unborn baby have blood groups 1 and 2, then the children will inherit them. The same applies to groups 1 and 3.
- Blood group 4 is a chance to conceive children with group 2, 3 or 4, excluding the first.
- The child’s blood type is not predicted in advance if his parents are carriers of groups 2 and 3.
The “Bombay phenomenon” became an exception to these rules that have not changed over the years. We are talking about people whose phenotype contains A and B antigens, but for some reason they do not manifest themselves in any way. This situation occurs very rarely and most often among Indians.
How is the Rh factor inherited?
The Rh factor is designated by the letters Rh. Being positive, it carries the prefix “plus”, and negative – the sign “minus”.
It is possible to guess its type with 100% accuracy only in the case when both parents are Rh negative; in all other cases, Rh will be different.
Inheritance system
The positive Rh factor, which is determined by the D gene, has different alleles in its structure: dominant (D) and recessive (d). In other words, a person with the Rh(+) type can carry both the DD and Dd genotypes. A person with Rh(-) Rhesus is a carrier of type dd.
Knowing this pattern of inheritance, it is quite possible to predict the future Rh factor in a child who has not yet been born. If the mother is negative with the dd genotype, and the father is positive (DD or Dd), then the baby can inherit any of the possible variants. This is clearly demonstrated by the following table:
Thus, if the father carries the DD type, the offspring of the couple will receive Rh-positive Rhesus, and if he has the Dd type, then this probability is reduced to 50%.
What else can a baby inherit?
Of course, parents are concerned not only with what blood type their child will have. They are also wildly curious whether the baby will inherit, for example, their eye or hair color.
Dominants and recessives
Such intriguing questions are answered by genetics, and this is done through its knowledge of two types of genes: dominant and recessive. The former always precede the latter and suppress them.
Overwhelming, dominant signs include such appearance features as blood type, freckles or dark skin, dimples, fluffy eyelashes, a hump on the nose, myopia or early graying.
So, for example, if the father has brown eyes and the mother has blue eyes, the toddler will have dark eyes.
Traits that are inherited
The following can be inherited:
- blood type and Rh factor (as we found out earlier);
- color of the skin;
- vision features (myopia or strabismus and other defects);
- height (short or tall);
- individual structural features of the arms and legs;
- hearing characteristics (musical hearing, normal or deafness);
- facial features (including freckles and dimples);
- shape of the mouth, nose and ears;
- hair color;
- diseases (for example, diabetes and hemophilia).
But it is quite difficult to predict the baby’s character based on these signs. If only you try to determine the psychotype of personality to which the child will belong.
What about IQ?
Of course, a child can take not only the blood type and external signs from his parents. However, the IQ value, which expectant mothers and fathers are also often worried about, does not greatly depend on heredity.
Oddly enough, for the development of a child’s intelligence and brain, a favorable family environment and early communication bring much greater benefit than heredity.
At the same time, according to experts, women who constantly exercise during pregnancy can give birth to a gifted child. It also stimulates the child's mental activity and breast-feeding(increases IQ by 6 units).
Health issue
As for diseases, everything has been known for a long time that, unfortunately, along with eye and hair color, a bunch of various diseases can be transmitted to us from our parents, including allergies, schizophrenia and even mental retardation.
But there is good news: today a person can receive his own individual genetic passport in order to find out about the dangers that threaten him. You can get it by contacting a medical laboratory that deals with DNA tests and genetic studies (and not just standard tests such as blood type and Rh factor).
Having done such an analysis, you will receive a personal “decoding” of the body’s characteristics, which will indicate a tendency to certain diseases, an attitude towards sports, a list of foods undesirable for consumption, and even a list of climatic conditions unfavorable for living.
