children s health issues
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn
Prevention of Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn
Injection of immune globulin during pregnancy and after delivery To prevent Rh-negative women from developing antibodies against their fetus's red blood cells, they are given an injection of an Rh0(D) immune globulin preparation at about 28 weeks of pregnancy and again within 72 hours after delivery. They are also given an injection after any episode of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and after amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. The Rh0(D) immune globulin rapidly coats any Rh-positive fetal red blood cells that have entered the mother’s circulation so they are not recognized as "foreign" by the mother’s immune system and thus do not trigger formation of anti-Rh antibodies. This treatment usually prevents hemolytic disease of the newborn from developing. 