Rh hemolytic disease
Quick Summary
Rh hemolytic disease, also known as erythroblastosis fetalis, is a condition where a mother's immune system attacks her fetus's red blood cells. This occurs due to a blood group incompatibility, most commonly involving the Rh factor.
Pathology
When an Rh-negative mother carries an Rh-positive fetus (inherited from the father), fetal red blood cells carrying the Rh factor can enter the mother's bloodstream. This triggers her immune system to produce antibodies against the Rh factor. These antibodies can then cross the placenta and destroy the fetus's red blood cells, leading to anemia, jaundice, and in severe cases, fetal death or hydrops fetalis. While ABO incompatibility can also cause this, it is typically less severe.
Modern medical interventions, such as Rh immunoglobulin injections and intrauterine transfusions, have significantly reduced the incidence and severity of this disease.123
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