What is a negative RH factor?

A negative Rhesus (Rh) test can have a definite impact on pregnancy due to the risk of blood group incompatibility. However, with the right medical care, Rh incompatible women and fetuses can experience a healthy pregnancy and delivery. This can be done if women who are about to become pregnant have a good antenatal check-up, especially screening for Rh factor.

Rh factor positive is the most common blood type, which means a person's red blood cells all have this protein. The rest of the population is Rh negative, only very rarely.
A person with negative rh factor will not have health problems from his blood type. However, if the person is a woman, there may be complications if she is pregnant with an Rh-positive partner. In this case, the fetus can inherit the Rh positive blood group.
During pregnancy, blood from the fetus can cross the placenta and enter the mother's bloodstream. With an Rh incompatible source, an incompatibility reaction will occur and may cause an immune response that is harmful to the fetus or newborn. The mother's immune system is able to recognize this blood as foreign matter and produce antibodies against the Rh-positive blood.
Therefore, blood group testing is the first step in comprehensive prenatal care and screening, thereby greatly reducing any risks for parents and children with different Rh factors.
Watch now: Is mother-child blood group disagreement dangerous?

In clinical practice, medical professionals recommend that women be tested for rh factor at the beginning of each pregnancy. Being aware of blood group incompatibility due to Rh incompatibility is very important to minimize the potential risk to future pregnancy.
In addition, other recommended tests and screenings may include:
Regular antibody testing throughout pregnancy Checking parents' Rh status Determining fetal Rh status through amniocentesis Amniocentesis Rh and antibody tests consist of simple blood tests that are usually quick and painless for both parents. Studies have shown that Rh incompatibility is less likely to become a problem during a first pregnancy. In such cases, doctors may choose to rely on routine antibody screening tests. These can show whether a pregnant person is producing too many antibodies, in each subsequent pregnancy, to seek prevention.
Under certain circumstances, the fetus may be at risk of anemia even if there is no blood type incompatibility reaction. Doctors can check for this condition with advanced ultrasound imaging. If the fetus shows signs of anemia, doctors can conduct an early labor or give blood to the fetus.
Conversely, when tests show Rh factor incompatibility, this can lead to some risk to the developing fetus in utero. This is because the mother's immune system can attack the blood of the fetus. This can cause anemia if the fetus loses more blood cells than they can produce. At the same time, the fetus also faces some of the most common risks after birth such as jaundice, severe anemia, low muscle tone.

Parental antibodies can be prevented early in pregnancy. If antibodies cannot develop, they cannot affect the health of the developing fetus.
Thus, doctors may recommend the following during pregnancy to prevent antibodies as a way to prevent rh-negative incompatibility:
3.1. Medication The most common way to block these rh-negative antibodies is through Rh immune globulin. Doctors use this medication as an injection and will help prevent antibodies from developing in pregnant women. As a result, this treatment regimen can prevent the fetus from developing anemia later in life.

Research has shown that the timing of when physicians prescribe Rh immune globulin infusions to rh-negative pregnant women is correlated with positive outcomes. To this end, early testing to identify Rh incompatibility is critical to initiating treatment.
In addition, researchers found that 24% of fetuses developed fluid retention (edema) when not treated with immunoglobulin. This occurs in only 4% of treated pregnancies.
This further confirms the value of routine and necessary antibody screening during Rh incompatibility. Every pregnancy is unique, so individuals should consult with their medical team to determine the right treatment for them.
3.2. Early labor Early induction of labor may be the best option for certain Rh incompatibilities. Once the baby's lungs have developed, the obstetrician may advise the woman to go into labor. This can help protect the baby from any other risks while still in the womb.
3.3. Blood exchange After birth, doctors may recommend a blood exchange for the baby. This process replaces the newborn's blood with the blood of a healthy donor. Exchange transfusions are especially helpful for infants with jaundice.
3.4. Phototherapy This treatment can also help treat jaundice in babies. Spotlights expose your baby to as much light as possible. This helps to reduce the baby's blood bilirubin level quickly, minimizing the risk of nuclear jaundice.
In general, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for all pregnancies with Rh incompatibility. Accordingly, regular pregnancy screenings and exams can help determine the most effective course of action for each parent and infant pair.
In summary, blood group incompatibility due to rh factor is relatively rare during pregnancy. However, doctors recommend that all pregnant women go to the doctor and get tested early in pregnancy. Knowing what rh negative is or detecting early o rh- blood type during pregnancy, women will have the opportunity to treat and will partly ensure the safety of a healthy baby.
To protect mother and baby's health comprehensively, Vinmec International General Hospital now has a package maternity service, with a team of highly qualified doctors, ultrasound system, and medical equipment. Modern equipment will promptly recognize abnormalities during pregnancy, help monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detect and intervene in time health problems.
In addition, at Vinmec, we also perform intensively Double Test or Triple Test tests to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test to diagnose preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; testing for parasites that are transmitted from mother to child, which seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth...
After birth, the baby will be cared for in a sterile room before being brought back back to mom. Pregnant women will rest in a high-class hospital room, designed according to international hotel standards, 1 mother 1 room with full facilities and modern equipment. Mothers will be consulted by nutritionists on how to feed the baby before being discharged from the hospital. Postpartum follow-up with both mother and baby with leading Obstetricians and Paediatricians.

References: medicalnewstoday.com, nawcare.com, my.clevelandclinic.org, cedars-sinai.org