Risks Of Blood Incompatibility Between Mother And Baby
Blood incompatibility is not very common between mother and child, however it can happen. This refers to the fact that the mother’s blood group is different from that of the fetus, for example, one is Rh negative and the other Rh positive.
When there is blood incompatibility, people who receive blood that is not compatible, can generate reactions in their body. In the event that this situation occurs in pregnancy, the mother’s body will react adversely to the blood of her child.
The mother’s immune system is capable of attacking the fetus’s blood cells, to the point of destroying the baby’s red blood cells. The effects on the fetal organism are diverse, starting with anemia.
How does blood incompatibility appear in pregnancy?
Although this happens in our body, it is understood that it does not present symptoms. The blood of both does not necessarily come into contact ; it can happen in childbirth, by internal bleeding or in childbirth.
To detect if there is a blood group incompatibility, doctors perform special tests. Once the problem is diagnosed, the mother is treated with Rh immunoglobulin vaccines. This injection is given at week 28, and its function is to prevent the generation of antibodies.
From now on, the risk may arise during delivery. Therefore, care for the newborn is redoubled to avoid complications. This type of possible inconvenience is anticipated by the doctor through prenatal examinations. After making the diagnosis, specialists evaluate the patient and indicate treatment to monitor the effects.
If there is no adequate control, the antibodies generated by the mother can cross the placenta. That is, the fetus can be seriously attacked while it is developing. If your blood cells are destroyed, intrauterine death can occur due to anemia.
What are the risks?
As we have said, the main risk is that the baby is born with anemia or that it suffers in utero. This situation is produced by the breakdown of red blood cells (due to the action of the mother’s antibodies). As a consequence, the baby can die in the womb or be born anemic.
This condition is known as hemolytic disease or erythroblastosis fetalis. It occurs because of the increase in the number of erythroblasts. This disease is considered serious in some cases, and can even lead to intrauterine death. However, in other circumstances it does not even show symptoms in the baby.
Other consequences of blood incompatibility are as follows. Generalized inflammation of the body, jaundice, enlargement of the spleen or liver. Induced labor is another risk if the doctor determines it is necessary to save the baby.
Is there a propensity for blood incompatibility?
A new mother can hardly present this problem. In general, sensitivity to incompatibility occurs as more pregnancies occur. That is, there are no risks in the first pregnancy, but it is considered that in the following there is more sensitivity. However, there may be cases where the mother’s blood does not enter her baby due to some abnormality.
The main risk factor in these cases is that the mother’s blood has a negative Rh factor and that of the father has a positive Rh factor. Although there are multiple combinations, this has been found to be the most dangerous. If the baby inherits the Rh negative factor from the mother, there is no risk. However, this does not happen very often.
On the other hand, experts assure that when this type of combination occurs, the baby can present other health problems. It is believed that in half the cases there is such a risk.
What is the procedure?
Once the doctor detects the blood incompatibility, the procedure depends on the stage of the pregnancy. In most cases it tries to control itself through external treatment. The mother receives drugs to keep an eventual attack with antibodies under control.
If the gestation is in the last weeks, the doctor may consider induction of labor. However, when there is still a long way to go, a blood transfusion can be performed. This transfusion is done through the umbilical cord.
