What if mom is rh positive

Moise KJ. Red cell alloimmunization. Gabbe's Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. Updated by: Neil K. Editorial team. Rh incompatibility. After birth, the infant may have: Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes jaundice Low muscle tone hypotonia and lethargy.

Exams and Tests. There may be: A positive direct Coombs test result Higher-than-normal levels of bilirubin in the baby's umbilical cord blood Signs of red blood cell destruction in the infant's blood. Outlook Prognosis. Full recovery is expected for mild Rh incompatibility. Possible Complications. Complications may include: Brain damage due to high levels of bilirubin kernicterus Fluid buildup and swelling in the baby hydrops fetalis Problems with mental function, movement, hearing, speech, and seizures.

When to Contact a Medical Professional. However, women with Rh-negative blood type must get injections: During every pregnancy After a miscarriage or abortion After prenatal tests such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus biopsy After injury to the abdomen during pregnancy.

Thanks to the success rate of Rh immune-globulin shots, exchange transfusions in Rh-incompatible pregnancies are rarely needed in the United States. If you're not sure what your Rh factor is and think you're pregnant, it's important to start regular prenatal care as soon as possible — including blood-type testing.

With early detection and treatment of Rh incompatibility, you can focus on more important things — like welcoming a new, healthy baby. Reviewed by: Armando Fuentes, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What's an Rh Factor? For example: If a woman who is Rh negative and a man who is Rh positive conceive a baby, the fetus may have Rh-positive blood, inherited from the father. About half of the children born to an Rh-negative mother and Rh-positive father will be Rh-positive.

These include: blood transfusions with Rh-positive blood miscarriage ectopic pregnancy When Is a Baby at Risk? How Is Rh Incompatibility Treated? This is a molecule found on the surface of red blood cells. Your blood type depends on the genes you inherit from your parents. Whether you're RhD positive or negative depends on how many copies of the RhD antigen you've inherited. You can inherit one copy of the RhD antigen from your mother or father, a copy from both of them, or none at all.

You'll only have RhD negative blood if you don't inherit any copies of the RhD antigen from your parents. If the father has two copies of the RhD antigen, every baby will have RhD positive blood. Overview Rhesus Rh factor is an inherited protein found on the surface of red blood cells.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ The Rh factor: How it can affect your pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Accessed May 11, Moise KJ. Overview of Rhesus Rh alloimmunization in pregnancy. Accessed May 10, Prevention of Rh D alloimmunization. Rh factor blood test About.