Rh factor and conceiving?
Answer:
You've received a lot of conflicting information here from people who are obviously NOT doctors and have no clue about what being Rh negative or positive means (like the above answerer).
The Rh factor has to do with antigens on your red blood cells. Being Rh positive means you have them. People who are Rh negative do not have them. Provided 2 people have compatible blood types, someone who is positive can accept both Rh positive blood and Rh negative blood. People who are Rh negative cannot have any Rh positive blood.
There are only 2 times this is important: for transfusions and for pregnant women. In the case of pregnant women, ***Rh factor is only a concern when the mother is Rh NEGATIVE*** This is a concern because during birth, the baby's blood can mix with the mother's blood. If the baby is Rh positive, the mother will develop antibodies in her blood to that blood type. The next time she gets pregnant, her body will seek out the next baby and try to destroy it. Of course, women nowadays get the Rhogam shot that prevents this from happening.
A mom who is Rh positive does not have to worry about her blood attacking a potentially Rh negative baby. Your blood does not mix with the baby's. Your blood actually never enters the baby's bloodstream. The baby starts making its own blood as soon as it can.
You have nothing at all to worry about. Your miscarriage was unrelated to blood types. Hope this helps! =)
Rh factor has nothing to do with getting or staying pregnant. If you were Rh negative and gave birth to a Rh positive baby without getting the rhogam shot, future babies would be at risk. But that's not the case here. You are Rh positive so you are not at risk and don't need the shot at all. It is only important if you were Rh negative.
What happens is that the first pregnancy usually isn't affected by the Rh factor. When the second pregnancy happens, the woman has built up antibodies against the Rh factor opposite of hers and her immune system may attack the fetus. Don't worry. There is a medication women in this position can take that stops the Rh problem from occurring.
The Rh factor can be an issue for you when you are pregnant, but it is NOT an issue for getting pregnant. A woman's first pregnancy sensitizes her to any Rh incompatibilty. Since you have had a pregnancy already, you could have been sensitized. But that's just a minor issue these days. You just may have to get shots from your doctor when you get pregnant again. It does not affect your fertility nor will it affect your baby. Don't worry about it.
Good luck!!
The RH factor only affects a pregnany not getting pregnant. My sister is RH- and once she becomes pregnant she has to get a shot to stop her antibodies from terminating the pregnancy.
Hi,
You need to concentrate a little for understanding this process.
Human beings blood groups are determined on the basis of “Antigens and Antibodies”. These are located on read blood cells. This classification is known as “ABO” or “Classic Classification.
Another “Antigen” important to recognize to is “Rhesus Factor” (discovered in 1932 in Rhesus monkey) commonly known as “Rh-Factor. Determination of this is of extreme importance in certain situations e.g. in blood transfusions and pregnancy. Because it’s presence or absence is related to outcome of certain procedures of conditions.
Simply speaking: if Rh-positive blood is transfused to Rh-positive person, then there will be sever destruction of red blood cells resulting in sever hemolytic anemia or even death if not treated properly or timely.
The Rh-positive red blood cells induce antibodies which react and destroy the Rh-negative red blood cells.
Same is true when someone conceives or become pregnant. Because , there is fetal to maternal circulation is established in pregnancy, presence of such Antigen will induce or lead to sever complications varying from sever Jaundice to death of the baby or miscarriage or others depending on the degree of exposure and duration.
Now blood group is determined by “mendalian rule” genetically. In other words, mother and father contribute to the formation of blood group.
IT IS NOW UNIVERSAL PROCEDURE TO DETERMINE THE “BLOOD GROUP” AND RH-FACTOR ON FIRST VISIT OF THE PREGNANT MOTHR TO ANY HELTH CARE SETTING IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE BABY AND TO AVOID THE FUTURE COMPLICATIONS OR THEIR ASSESSMENT BASED ON BLOOD GROUPING.
In your case, you are Rh-positive but your husband is Rh-negative. So there is almost 50-50% chance that baby may have either Rh-positive or negative blood.
If fetus is Rh-positive, then fetus has no problem as you are RH-POSITIVE. But if fetus or baby has Rh-negative blood, then your blood (while mixing with blood of the baby or fetus) will induce destruction (Hemolysis) of baby’s red blood cells and may lead to complications as mentioned above.
It seems that your MISCARRIAGE is related to this. Although there are other multiple factors which can lead to miscarriage but THERE IS VERY HIGH PROBABILITY THAT YOUR MISCARRIAGE IS DUE TO THIS PHENOMENON. SO THE CAUSE OF MISSCARRIAGE NEEDS TO BE RULED OUT.
Now there are few questions which need more exploration.
1)At what week of gestation you have miscarriage?
2)What was the status of baby (blood group)?
3)How much was the bleeding and how much chances of “Iso-immunization”?
4)Did you receive anti-D Immunoglobin to prevent this occurring? Anti-D Ig is an injection which is given to mothers at higher risk to prevent this process and usually given at 27th week or at birth of baby. Some experts recommend immediate or some recommend within 72 hours.
5)Did you receive it? IF NOT,
In my opinion, you need to contact your gynecologist to determine the cause of miscarriage and your antibody titer to avoid any possible complications in future. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. VERY VERY IMPORTANT
The answers post by the user, for information only, FeelBaby.com does not guarantee the right.