Rh Sensitization: Mother Rh+ve & Child Rh-ve

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The discussion centers on the implications of Rh factor incompatibility between a mother and her child. When a mother is Rh-negative and the child is Rh-positive, there is a risk of sensitization if the mother's and baby's blood mix, which can occur during birth or injury. If a Rh-positive blood transfusion is given to an Rh-negative baby, sensitization may occur, but the immediate reaction depends on prior sensitization in the womb. Rh antibodies, once produced, can last a lifetime, and while they can be transmitted from mother to baby through the placenta, not all antibodies are transferred. The risk of complications in subsequent pregnancies, such as erythroblastosis fetalis, arises if the mother has developed Rh antibodies. Microhemorrhages during birth can lead to mixing of blood, but the likelihood of significant Rh antigen transfer from mother to baby is considered low.
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A problem arises when the mother is Rh-ve and the child is Rh+ve ,
consider a mother Rh+ve and the child Rh-ve, after birth, if the child is given Rh+ve blood, will the baby just get sensitized or will a reaction take place in the first transfusion itself as the baby was sensitized in the womb itself?
Also when an Rh-ve individual gets sensitized, how long to the Rh antibodies last?
 
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Rh antibodies, once produced last forever.

A baby only has access to the mom through placenta, so, there is no risk because the placenta only has baby's blood. The only minute circumstance that it could happen is if the baby is injured during the birth process and has an open wound that could be exposed to mom's blood. Even then it would be unlikely.
 
Is the probability of loosing the second baby the same, if the mother is Rh-ve and baby is Rh+ve ... because for that to happen the blood of the mother and baby should mix too, but i have heard that antibodies can be transmitted from the mother to the baby(through the placenta), but not all antibodies, is Rh antibody, one of them?
Thanks for all your replies(not just here), physics student20 :smile:
 
Rh antibodies don't get transmitted from the mother to the baby through placenta if what I feel..
You are welcome :smile:
 
PhyStudent20 said:
Rh antibodies don't get transmitted from the mother to the baby through placenta if what I feel..
actually Rh antibodies do get transmitted from the mother to the baby, that is the basis for erythroblastosis fetalis, it does happen, through the placenta.
But if the mother has Rh antigen and the baby Rh-ve , will the baby get sensitized?
PhyStudent20 said:
Even then it would be unlikely.
microhemorrhages are quite common..but do the Rh antigen(RBC) of the mother enter into the blood stream of the baby or not?
 

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