In which of the following situations, there is a risk factorfor childr...
During first pregnancy, Rh antigens of the foetus do not get exposed to the Rh -ve blood of the mother as the two bloods are well separated by placenta. However, at the time of delivery, there are chances of exposure of the maternal blood to small amounts of Rh +ve blood of the foetus. Thus mother's body starts preparing antibodies against Rh antigens in her blood. In case of subsequent pregnancies, the Rh antbodies from the mother can leak into the blood of the Rh +ve foetus and destroy the foetal RBCS This could be fatal for the foetus or could cause severe anaemia and jaundice. This condition is called erythroblastosis foetalis.
In which of the following situations, there is a risk factorfor childr...
Explanation:
Risk factor for children acquiring erythroblastosis foetalis:
- Mother is Rh -ve and father is Rh +ve
Erythroblastosis foetalis, also known as hemolytic disease of the newborn, occurs when the mother is Rh-negative and the father is Rh-positive. In this situation, there is a risk factor for children acquiring the condition because if the baby inherits the Rh-positive factor from the father, it can lead to incompatibility between the mother and baby's blood types.
- When an Rh-negative mother is carrying an Rh-positive baby, there is a chance that the mother's immune system may produce antibodies against the Rh factor in the baby's blood.
- These antibodies can cross the placenta and attack the baby's red blood cells, leading to hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) and causing severe complications such as anemia, jaundice, and in severe cases, even death.
Therefore, in the scenario where the mother is Rh-negative and the father is Rh-positive, there is a risk factor for erythroblastosis foetalis in the newborn baby. It is essential for Rh-negative mothers carrying Rh-positive babies to receive Rh immunoglobulin (RhIg) injections to prevent the development of antibodies and protect the baby from the condition.