rhesus disease Flashcards
what is rhesus disease
Rh factor baby and mom don’t match (mom negative, baby positive)
Antibodies in the pregnant woman’s blood attack and destroy her baby’s red blood cells
HDN
haemolytic disease of the newborn
causes rhesus disease
mother rh negative
baby rh positive
mom makes antibodies against positive rh blood cells (in first pregnancy)
second pregnancy these are released crossing the placenta to fight babies blood cells
when can blood mixing occur
Placental separation
o Prenatal tests, such as amniocentesis
o Miscarriages, falls, or trauma during pregnancy
symptoms rh before birth
Swelling (hydrops fetalis)
o Enlarged liver or spleen
o Reduced foetal activity
symptoms rh in newborn
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Enlarged heart, spleen, or liver
- Pale skin due to anaemia
- Decreased muscle strength
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid pulse
- Brain damage in severe cases
- Poor feeding
- In extreme cases death
diagnosis rh disease
blood test during first trimester
what if mother is rh positive
no further action needed
what if mother is rh negative
no antibodies = rh immune globulin administred to prevent antibody formation
Treatment rh disease mild
regular monitoring
treatment during pregnancy
intrauterine foetal blood transfusion: blood is transfused through the umbilical
cord
intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG): It reduces red blood cell destruction, so the
level of bilirubin in the baby’s blood will stop risin
early delivery
treatment rh after birth
Phototherapy (bilirubine down)
blood transfusion (remove antibodies)
intravenous immunoglobulin
IVIG
Intravenous immunoglobulin
RhoGAM
Rh immune globulin
Complications rh disease unborn babies
Severe anaemia
- Foetal heart failure
- Fluid retention and swelling (foetal hydrops)
- Stillbirth
- Jaundice
