blood incompatibility in

pregnancy
Defenition :
When a woman and her unborn baby carry different Rhesus (Rh)
protein factors, their condition is called Rh incompatibility. It occurs
when a woman is Rh-negative and her baby is Rh-positive. The Rh
factor is a specific protein found on the surface of your red blood cells.

Ina < 1 %

Afrika5 %
Kaukasia15 %
• Antigenically foreign fetal RBCs enter the maternal circulation
• IgG antibodies are formed
• Cross back across the placenta
• Sensitise fetal RBCs to haemolysis
• Causes fetal anaemia
• Increases bilirubin in amniotic fluid
• And can cause fetal hydrops
• Which is high output cardiac failure
Other causes of RBC isoimmunisation:
• Incompatible blood transfusion

• Sensitisation of Rh Neg baby at birth from an Rh positive mother

Patofisiology
Treatment of Blood Group Incompatibilities
• Neonatal phototherapy
• Neonatal exchange transfusion
• Pre term delivery (after steroids)
• Intrauterine transfusion
• To umbilical or hepatic veins
• To the peritoneal cavity
• Maternal immune suppression