Identification of blood type and Rh factor - this action is the first to be performed after confirming that a woman is expecting a baby. Experts in the field of immunology have long studied the factors that influence compatibility or, conversely, incompatibility on the development of the fetus. What blood types and Rh conflicts negatively affect the baby?
What is this?
Since ancient times, in women with a negative Rh factor of blood, babies immediately died or were born too weak and painful. Today, the conflict between the blood type of mother and father can be prevented, since specialized preparations have been created for this. It can be immunoglobulin, which is created from human blood. This injection should be given to a pregnant woman at 28 weeks of gestation and must be repeated three days after delivery if the baby's Rh factor is positive.
Among doctors, there is an opinion that it is advisable not to have an abortion for a woman with a negative Rh factor, since this can significantly affect her condition and subsequent ability to bear and give birth to a child. In a situation where an abortion is not planned, and childbirthshould happen, it is necessary to take into account the fact that such women need to give birth at least once.
Then there is a high probability that the child will be he althy, and nothing threatens the mother's he alth either. Her blood composition during the first pregnancy will produce antibodies to the baby's Rh, but the second time will not allow him to interfere.
Mechanism of action
Stably working placenta saves from the development of conflict on blood types. Its special device prevents the blood of the mother and fetus from mixing, mainly through the placental barrier. However, this can still happen with the destruction of the vessels of the placenta, its detachment and other defects, or, more often, during delivery.
Fetal cells that have entered the mother's blood in case of incompatibility provoke the production of antibodies that can penetrate the fetus's body and attack its blood cells, resulting in hemolytic disease. The poisonous element - bilirubin, which is formed in the course of such an interaction in significant volumes, can damage the child's body, mainly the brain, the excretory system. This can be fraught with significant malfunctions in the body.
In case of compatibility, there is nothing to worry about, but if incompatibility of the blood types of the mother and child is revealed, then the expectant mother will need to be constantly monitored by a specialist in order to prevent negative consequences for the child.
Incompatibility
It makes sense to study in detail what is the incompatibility of blood types of mother and child. People with blood type I do not have A and B antibodies, but they do have beta and alpha antibodies. There are antibodies in other blood types: second (A), third (B), fourth (AB).
As a result of this, the immunity of a woman with the first blood type begins to fight with elements of other blood groups that are alien to the body. The protective mechanisms of the expectant mother decompose the child's red blood cells, killing the antigens that are unnecessary for her, contained in the child's blood. This is what is called the incompatibility of the blood types of mother and baby.
When does it occur?
The conflict appears when the mother's blood is incompatible with the child's blood group. A blood type conflict during childbearing can contribute to hemolytic abnormalities in the baby.
Hemolytic disease of the newborn is fraught with the production of hemolysis of red blood cells. As a result, there is a great danger of death of the baby. One way or another, erythroblastosis disrupts the natural functioning of the child's circulatory system. With such deviations, the future baby is not able to develop harmoniously.
Are there any symptoms?
A pregnant woman may not feel the symptoms of pregnancy blood type conflict. Analysis can reveal its presence. Laboratory tests will determine the high level of antibodies in the blood of the expectant mother. This is the main diagnostic method. With the development of blood diseases in the fetus or infant, there may be:
- puffiness;
- yellow skin tone;
- anemia;
- increased size of excretory organs.
Prevention of significant complications can be the constant monitoring of the mother's blood and the determination of certain elements in it - hemolysins. In the case of their presence, the expectant mother is carefully observed by specialists.
If, in the course of further research, the number of antibodies continues to constantly increase, and the condition of the fetus becomes worse and worse, then it may be necessary to organize a premature birth or a blood transfusion to the fetus. Some experts constantly test for group antibodies in pregnant women with the first blood group when there is reason to do so.
What is more important - group or Rh?
Specialists are convinced that the blood group at conception is not as important as the Rh factor of the father and mother. It is preferable that the Rh factor of the father and mother be identical, this will make it possible to avoid problems that may appear at any time during the bearing of the child, conception, or even after the baby is born.
When to get treatment?
If parents have learned in advance that their Rh factors are incompatible, then before conception it is best, and in some cases simply necessary, to take a specialized course in order to prevent rejection of the fetus by the woman's body.
If, nevertheless, spouses with different Rh factors are already waiting for replenishment, and during the periodSince no preventive steps have been taken during pregnancy planning, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the fetus throughout the pregnancy. At present, when a Rh conflict is detected, it is possible to prevent unpleasant consequences by introducing antibodies - immunoglobulin for a period of 26-27 weeks.
ABO Conflict
In most cases, the ABO conflict finds expression in hemolytic (or physiological) jaundice in a child. In addition, children become restless, often scream or, on the contrary, lose activity, become overwhelmed, sleep longer than expected for children of their age. In advanced situations, the bilirubin attack affects the brain and other important organs of the baby. But in most cases, congenital jaundice disappears in a couple of weeks with the support and constant monitoring by doctors. The main treatment is to support the child's body.
As in the period of bearing a child, if a high degree of group antibodies is detected, the specialist may prescribe an additional introduction of glucose into the veins or adding it to the baby's diet, taking vitamins designed to improve the process of blood purification by the excretory system. If a child has an increased amount of bilirubin, there is no need to resist the appointment of additional complementary foods or medical procedures. As a rule, this does not interfere with the feeding of the child. This is a kind of "ambulance" for the baby to improve his he alth. Such activities contribute to the harmonious growth and formation of the body.
Is it possiblejaundice?
If there is a conflict in the blood type of a newborn, other medications may be prescribed by a doctor, including in hospital treatment. If jaundice begins to affect the child's brain cells, therapy is carried out under close supervision by doctors. There is a lot of talk these days about the benefits of belated cord cutting after the baby is born. The ligation of the umbilical cord is delayed at the moment of its movement cessation, which makes it possible for the child to receive useful substances after birth. This is exactly the procedure that is prohibited if the parents have different blood types.
Even if it is assumed that the baby received the mother's blood type and there is a high risk of developing a blood type conflict, the umbilical cord should be removed immediately after birth. This will save the baby from possible problems. However, the main thing with neonatal jaundice is prevention. In the process of bearing a child, a woman does not feel negative effects from incompatibility with the child. In this regard, if a blood type conflict may arise, it is required to be examined in a timely manner, plan a birth with an experienced specialist and remember the need for a proper lifestyle.
Hormone levels
It will help prevent the possibility of the formation of a conflict in the blood type during pregnancy, the identification and regulation of hormones in the body of a woman that affect the proper formation of the placenta. Since the placental embryonic organ just turns out to be a reliable barrier for the inadmissibility of contact of the mother's blood with the blood of the fetus. This barrier is between the maternaland the fetal layer of the placenta.
Most often, pregnancy and childbirth proceed well, and advanced forms of hemolytic disease occur once in 200 pregnancies. In addition, it is necessary to register in a timely manner at the antenatal clinic, take all the required tests, and monitor whether the number of antibodies is increasing. The father of the child must also take a blood test to identify the group and the Rh factor. After all, if he has blood of the first group, then there will be no conflict in the blood group. The effectiveness of monitoring such a deviation during childbearing will depend on how long it will be detected.
When does Rh conflict appear?
Appears in the baby Rh factor and Rh-conflict on the blood group during pregnancy, starting from 7-8 weeks of fetal development. It is during this period that the child develops its own Rh factor. At the same time, antibodies tend to accumulate, and the situation can change rapidly.
Today one can read many sad stories of mothers who faced the result of a blood type conflict. In the course of brain damage, they note lags in the development of the baby, at times vision or hearing may be lost. Some mothers struggle with baby seizures or raise their babies with severe stages of cerebral palsy. But it is no longer possible for such children to fully restore their he alth.
When a woman is Rh negative, she is strongly advised to take an antibody test between 7 and 8 weeks of gestation. Atif there is a risk of developing abnormalities, a new analysis should be carried out at 28-30 weeks. With increased values of the number of antibodies in the first trimester, monitoring of fluctuations in the growth of blood enzymes is carried out more often - 1 time in 14 days. In this case, much will depend on the position of the fetus.
If a blood transfusion cannot be done, then a decision must be made about premature birth. It is absolutely impossible to risk with such a deviation. If the child's pulmonary system has already formed (28th week of pregnancy), then labor should be stimulated, otherwise the expectant mother may have a miscarriage.
Prevention of antibodies
The most effective method of preventing the appearance of antibodies to the D-protein is considered to be the introduction of anti-Rh(D)-immunoglobulin to the expectant mother. The drug allows you to block the antigenic sites of Rh-positive erythrocytes, preventing the emergence of new ones. When passive antibodies are administered, their excess appears, which leads to the suppression of their occurrence in the body.
The main importance in the prevention of incompatibility is given to family planning. For the conception of a child, a negative Rh factor does not threaten anything. When planning motherhood, it is necessary to determine the indicators of a woman and her spouse. Before conception, it is necessary to carry out a study on the presence of Rh antibodies in the woman's blood. When pregnancy occurs, it is necessary to register as soon as possible and strictly follow all the doctor's instructions.
Healingprocedures
Blood disorders in infants require comprehensive, thorough treatment to avoid unpleasant and untreatable complications. The brighter the signs are expressed, the more noticeable the conflict of blood groups, to establish which an analysis is carried out for an increased amount of bilirubin.
The essence of medical procedures is to eliminate antibodies in the child's blood, affected erythrocytes and excess bilirubin. For this, phototherapy and other methods of treatment are carried out, which are aimed at eliminating the symptoms. In those situations where this does not work, or the amount of bilirubin in the blood increases too rapidly, a blood transfusion is performed.
