The incompatibility between the blood of the expectant mother and her baby is called blood incompatibility. Blood incompatibility can occur for two reasons. The first is a change in the RH protein in the mother's and baby's blood. This occurs when the mother's blood is RH negative and the baby's blood is RH positive. Another type of incompatibility is blood incompatibility due to a change in AB0 blood groups.
In some cases, if the baby's blood comes into contact with the mother's blood, blood incompatibility due to AB0 blood group change occurs. The answers to important questions such as what is blood incompatibility, what is a blood incompatibility injection and blood incompatibility in marriage are very important.
The RH factor that occurs in the blood is a protein on the outside or surface of red blood cells. It helps to keep red blood cells flexible and maintain their shape. The RH factor is inherited from the mother and father.
If the RH factor is present in the blood, the individual is RH positive, but if it is absent, the individual is considered RH negative. Blood incompatibility occurs if the mother's blood is RH negative and the baby is RH positive.
The mother's blood perceives this RH protein as foreign and the mother's immune system produces antibodies and defenses against the RH positive factor. This causes significant problems for the overall health of the baby. This immune defense develops very slowly and rarely causes health problems in the first pregnancy. In other pregnancies, blood incompatibility can cause significant problems.
How does blood incompatibility occur?
Blood incompatibility occurs in two ways, RH factor and AB0 blood group incompatibility. When the mother's blood is RH negative and the father's blood is RH positive, if the baby's blood is RH positive, blood incompatibility caused by the RH factor occurs. During pregnancy, the mother's blood and the baby's blood are not in contact with each other, but after certain conditions, the mother's body is sensitive to the RH positive factor.
When antibodies form in the body and the mother's blood passes to the baby, the antibodies break down and kill the red blood cells. This can cause the baby's heart to stop beating or other damage can occur. Even if it is usually not a problem with the first baby, it can cause serious health problems in children born later. Here are the situations in which the mother's body is sensitive;
- Blood transfusions
- Previous miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Previous childbirth
- Bleeding-related complications during pregnancy
When the baby's blood is broken down, bilirubin is produced. Excess bilirubin leads to jaundice. Jaundice occurs rapidly after blood incompatibility in newborn babies and babies diagnosed on time do not have many problems with the treatment applied.
Blood Incompatibility Test
If the mother has RH-negative blood and the father has RH-positive blood, the mother is tested for 'indirect coombs'. A positive result of this test is a risky situation. At this point, the amount of positivity is directly proportional to the rate of effect on the baby. It is therefore important to follow up. If this test is negative, the mother is given a blood incompatibility injection during the third trimester of pregnancy and after birth for protection.
Blood incompatibility injection
In cases of blood incompatibility, a blood incompatibility injection is given. As already mentioned, there is no serious danger for the first child. However, the mother is given a blood incompatibility injection in the 28th week of pregnancy to prevent danger in subsequent births. When the baby is born, the baby's RH value is checked. If it is negative, the mother will not receive a second blood incompatibility injection. The second blood incompatibility injection is given to the mother within the first 72 hours after birth if the baby's blood group is RH positive.
The most important point about this issue is that if the mother's blood group is RH-negative and the father's blood group is RH-positive, if the mother is going to have a miscarriage, abortion, bleeding during pregnancy or the specified interventions, a blood incompatibility injection should be administered before these operations. Another important point is that this injection should be given in the 28th week of each RH-negative pregnancy.
