The last concept we discussed on Thursday was teh the Hemolytic Disease of Newborns and to give myself a better understanding and to make sure I am not confused I am going to summarize what was said.
Hemolytic Disease of newborns results from when the fetus is Rh+ and the mother is Rh-, therefore the mother has no antibodies for the Rh+. However if the Rh+ babies blood is exposed to the mother her body will start to produce Rh+ antibodies, which we do not want the mother to start doing this for any length of time so she is administered a synthetic drug called the Rhogam shot. The Rhogam shot prevents the spread of Rh+ antibodies. In addition when you are Rh- you do not have any Rh antibodies unles you have been exposed to blood that is Rh+ and that is when you produce Rh antibodies.
THis is important to understand because if the child is Rh+ and the mother is Rh- and has already been exposed and not treated, the mother is producing Rh antibodies which can lead to hemolytic diseas of newborns which is when red blood cells break open and release hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid (plasma).
Heather,
ReplyDeleteHDN was a difficult disease to wrap my brain around, and your post helped. Thanks! It's important to note that the Rhogam injection can be administered before, during and/or after pregnancy. It's sad to think of the lives lost in this context because of the mixing of different blood types.
Dani
Great summary. I thought this was a very important thing to learn about in class. I didnt know my blood type at the time of this class but i found out during blood typing in my lab that I am A negative and I know that my husband is o positive. So I am unfortunately now going to have to get this shot! It is good to know and learn why in class and the process behind it before that time comes when I will have to get it!
ReplyDeleteI had to get the rhogam shot with my son. The shot is minor. I had to get the shot during and after pregnancy. This is becuase I am Rh- and my son is Rh+. During pregnancy really doesnt make a difference becuse if I had already been exposed to the Rh+, then at tat point it would be impossible for the sythetic Rh+ (from the shot) to bind to the Rh+ in my bloodstream. Doctors give the shot during to protect themselves. After however it crucial!! If I hadn't gotton the shot then it would cause complications with future pregnancies. The rh+ that would be circulating in my blood would bind to the rh+ in the baby's blood. This would cause the baby's to clump. Thus, resulting in a miscarriage.
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