A 1-4 page document written by a final year medical student with distinction grades in the uploaded modules. These notes are concise and of very high quality - using a combination of textbooks, lectures, and current guidelines (NICE and RCOG). These documents are the only resource you should need f...
Rhesus (Rh) antiens in Preinancy
On the surface of RBCs, as well as ABO, there are also antigens C, and E (the rhesus antiens).
Antigen ies tehge osste sieinieficante of these – The presence of D antiens on someone’s red cells makes
them ‘Rhgesus Pssietige’.
The D antien is coded for by the Rh igenge which is autosomal dominant. Thus those with either DD or Dd
allele combinatons will be Rhesus positie.
Most people (85% of Caucasians and >99% of Asians and Africans) are Rhesus positie.
In Caucasian populatons about 1 in 10 of all preinancies are of a rhesus neiatie woman with a rhesus
positie baby
Haemolytc Disease of the Newborn
Pathophysioloiy
1) In a rhesus neiatie mother durini her frst preinancy, there is fsgeteal-oategernal hageosrrhaige i.e. the
moiement of foetal blood cells across the placenta. It happens in 75% of preinancies durini deliiery,
ruptured placenta (ofen caused by trauma), ectopic preinancy, aborton, amniocentesis, cesarian
sectons etc.
2) This mixture of mother and foetal blood allows ‘sensitsaton’ - the deielopment of ant- IiG
antbsd ieges by the RhD neiatie person (i.e. the mother).
- Note: sensitsston doesn’t slwsys hsve to hsve been duee to s previoues pregnsncy, ss prior blood
trsnsfuesions with Rh positve blood csn slso csuese it.
3) In subsequent preinancies, the circulatni ant-D IiG antbodies in the mother’s blood are able to
cross the placenta. (Note: IgG csn cross while IgM csnnot).
4) Now in the foetal blood stream of a rhesus positie baby, the antbodies atach to the RBC surface
protein (Rh), causini haemolysis.
5) This can result in
- mild - anageoiea or retculocytosis (causini jaundice)
- moderate – gerytehrsblastessies fgetealies
- seiere - hyd rsps fgetealies (foetal heart failure).
Diainosis
All of these tests follow a positie test in normal antenatal screenini for mothers who are RhD neiatie.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller MedStudentUK. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.86. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.