Rh Sensitization or Rh factor

Question 1

When does this occur?

Answer 1

when you have Rh negative mom, with an Rh positive feuts

(fetus yes, rh
mommy no rh)

negative mom, positive baby

this occurs at birth

Question 2

Explain the patho

Answer 2

fetal Rh poz blood comes in contact with mom’s Rh negative blood.
the mom’s body looks at it like a foreign body, and so it starts to make antibodies to fight the baby’s blood.

Question 3

when does mommy and baby’s blood mix?

so, will the first offspring be affected by the antibodies? why?

Answer 3

at birth

-no, since blood mixes at birth, the antibodies won’t be there yet. but, the next baby will be affected

Question 4

when this mommy get pregnant again, what will happen to the baby?

Answer 4

the antibodies will enter to attack the baby through the placenta and cause hemolysis (all the RBCs are breaking down).
since the baby has a decrease in RBCs it will try to compensate by releasing immature RBCs.

Question 5

What is it called, when the baby releases a lot of immature RBCs in the circulation?

Answer 5

erythroblastosis fetalis

Question 6

erythroblastosis fetalis is a severe form of a____ disease. which can lead to which 5 diseases?

Answer 6

hemolytic

• hyperbillirubenemia
• anemia (hypoxia)
• hydrops fetalis ( a very severe form of hemolytic disease)
• CHF (congestive heart failure)
• neurologic damage

Question 7

when your baby has erythroblastosis fetalis (break of RBCs) is the baby gonna keep growing?

Answer 7

No

• baby will be anemic and hypoxic

Question 8

Indirect coomb’s test-

Answer 8

is done on the MOMMY and its measure the number of antibodies in the blood

Question 9

direct coomb’s test-

it’s done on the___ blood.

Answer 9

done on the baby and it tells you if there are any antibodies that are stuck on the red blood cells

-cord

Question 10

what do you do if you end up with an Rh+ fetus and a sensitized mother?

and what are we gonna do if the baby stops growing?

Answer 10

frequent ultrasounds

• c-section/ early birth

Question 11

when is rhogam given?

Answer 11

within 72 hours after birth/ delivery or 28 weeks (but wil still get it at 72 hours)

Question 12

how does rhogam work?’

make sure you do this when?

Answer 12

it destroys fetal circulation that has gotten into mommy’s blood.

-before antibodies can be formed

Question 13

if a mommy is Rh- and she is gonna go have an abortion. why should rhogam be given?

Answer 13

she and the baby are gonna be bleeding and blood will be mixed.

Question 14

what if you’re Rh- and you’re gonna have an amniocentesis?

Answer 14

still give rhogam, there is a chance there is some mixing of blood

Question 15

what if you’re 9 months pregnant and was just in a bad car reck?

Answer 15

still give rhogam because blood may be mixed