Alloimmune antibodies. Rhesus conflict during pregnancy: consequences for the child

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Alloimmune antibodies are formed in those women who have a conflict on the Rh factor with a child. However, many women, having received the test results in their hands, do not always understand what consequences this can lead to.

Alloimmune antibodies

First of all, it is worth understanding the terminology. Such antibodies are formed when there is a conflict with the rhesus of red blood cells. In particular, they may bother a woman who has a negative Rp but is pregnant with a positive one. In this case, a miscarriage may occur, and if the pregnancy is maintained, the baby may acquire hemolytic disease.

Knowing that she is a carrier of a negative Rh, a woman must be observed by a doctor and regularly tested for antibodies.

Throughout pregnancy, girls should be more attentive to their he alth: drink vitamins, strengthen their immunity. Otherwise, there is a risk of catching any virus or infection. This can damage the placenta, which is a kind of conductor from the mother tobaby. In this case, the child's red blood cells will enter the woman's circulatory system, and this will inevitably lead to an Rhesus conflict.

When can conflict occur?

Rp children will inherit from their parents. If both are positive, then the child is likely to be the same. However, there are exceptions. If mom and dad have Rh negative and positive, then the baby can take one or the other factor.

If both are negative, then in this case there is nothing to worry about. The child will absolutely take a negative Rh, which means that there will be no conflict.

When can it happen?

• Childbirth. When bleeding, as a rule, the newborn's blood enters the mother's, and this leads to the formation of antibodies. Fortunately, if the pregnancy is the first, it will not affect either one or the other in any way. But if repeated, they can affect the child.
• Injury to the placenta. Detachment or damage to its integrity will cause the two circulatory systems to mix, and this will cause the appearance of antibodies.
• Abortion or ectopic pregnancy with an Rh-positive fetus also results in the release of red blood cells into the mother's bloodstream where conflict occurs.
• Involuntary transfusion. There are situations when a woman is mistakenly “dripped” with the wrong Rhesus blood. By the time of pregnancy, her body will already have antibodies.

First pregnancy

The womb is the first placebaby's residence. She protects him from various injuries and helps to develop until the moment of birth. But even being in it, the child can feel the consequences of the Rhesus conflict. This requires the following condition: the mother has a negative Rp, the fetus has a positive one.

The first pregnancy is the safest, even if both have different Rh. If it proceeds without problems, then the risk of antibody formation is very low. Only after childbirth, when the two types of blood mix, can they enter the mother's bloodstream.

There are several factors that affect the fetus during the first pregnancy.

• Abortion for medical (and not only) indications.
• Infectious diseases that caused a violation of the integrity of the placenta.
• Injuries resulting in maternal blood loss.

Analysis for Rh conflict

It is carried out for all girls who have a negative Rh. As soon as a woman learns about her situation, she needs to report her problem to the doctor. He will give a referral for an analysis that determines alloimmune antibodies during pregnancy.

In the first weeks, the conflict can manifest itself, causing an involuntary miscarriage. Some do not even have time to find out that they are pregnant, as the body rejects a fetus with a different Rh. It is necessary to carefully consider this issue and register with a gynecologist as soon as possible.

Starting from the twentieth week, the woman will be tested for alloimmune antibodies once a month. By the end of the last trimesterthe frequency will be doubled. But closer to childbirth, at 35 weeks, you will have to take samples every week.

If the situation is complicated by a high amount of antibodies, the expectant mother will be transferred to a hospital for closer observation.

In order to determine the presence of a conflict, a woman donates blood from a vein, which is tested using special reagents. In the most severe cases, cordocentesis is performed. To do this, the umbilical cord is pierced, from which blood is taken. However, this method is very dangerous for the baby. It is resorted to in exceptional cases, when there is a suspicion of a hemolytic disease of the child.

When will there be no conflict?

The womb is a barrier to various viruses and infections during the development of the baby before he is born. In it, the fetus feels completely safe. But, unfortunately, she can not always protect him from the Rhesus conflict. You should not worry about it if both mother and child have a negative Rp. This means that the baby has inherited the mother's Rh, and their blood will no longer "conflict".

There is no reason to worry for those mothers who have a positive Rp. The majority of such people in the world - 85%. Even if the child took the father's negative Rh, there would be no conflict.

If you determine the presence of antibodies in time and regularly examine a doctor, then in this case there will be no problems. Alloimmune antibodies can only affect the second and subsequent pregnancies. But by this time, the mother will already be prepared and will inform the doctor in advance about her negativeRh.

Consequences

What to do if there is an Rhesus conflict during pregnancy? The consequences for the child may vary.

1. Firstly, in such a situation, the mother's body perceives the fetus as a foreign body. Red blood cells in the blood begin to produce special antibodies that can lead to the destruction of the embryo. In response to this reaction, the child's body actively increases bilirubin. This hormone affects the functioning of the liver, spleen and other internal organs. It can also negatively affect the baby's brain, leading to various kinds of disorders.
2. Rhesus conflict leads to a decrease in fetal hemoglobin levels. The child begins oxygen starvation, which is very dangerous and can lead to pregnancy failure.
3. A large amount of bilirubin causes jaundice in a newborn.
4. For the mother herself, who was not examined in time for the presence of antibodies, this can end in failure. Rhesus conflict can lead to premature birth.

Conclusion

Fortunately, there are not so many women with negative Rp. On the whole planet, there are no more than 15%. Expectant mothers have a huge responsibility - to endure and give birth to a he althy baby, if, nevertheless, there was a Rh conflict during pregnancy. The consequences for the child can be very severe. For this reason, a woman should be carefully examined, and if necessary, go to a hospital forcareful observation.