Rhesus incompatibility is a disorder of the newborn baby consequence the difference between rhesus blood groups mother and child. Rhesus incompatibility occur occurs when the fetus is rhesus positive, while her mother is rhesus negative.
Rhesus blood type does not have much effect on a person's daily health condition, but will have an effect during pregnancy. Differences in the rhesus blood group of the fetus and its mother will cause the newborn to have jaundice and anemia (anemia). However, the incidence of rhesus incompatibility does not occur in the first child
Rhesus Incompatibility Symptoms
The main symptom of Rhesus incompatibility is jaundice. The baby's skin and eyes will look yellowish due to the buildup of bilirubin in the body (hyperbilirubinemia). Bilirubin is a substance that is produced when red blood cells are destroyed.
In addition to jaundice, rhesus incompatibility causes the baby to become weak, sleepy and slow to move.
When to go to the doctor
If the expectant mother has a rhesus negative blood group (Rh-), while her partner has a positive rhesus blood group (Rh+), immediately consult a gynecologist to plan pregnancy and childbirth. This plan aims to prevent hemolytic anemia in babies born later.
To find out the rhesus blood group, pregnant women and their partners can do a blood type test.
Causes of Rhesus Incompatibility
Rhesus incompatibility can occur if a mother is rhesus negative, contains a fetus that is rhesus positive. The difference in blood type is due to the father having a positive rhesus blood group. However, cases of Rhesus incompatibility are quite rare.
Pregnant women with this condition only form antibodies against rhesus after the first pregnancy. This is why cases of rhesus incompatibility do not occur in the first pregnancy.
Meanwhile, in the second pregnancy and so on, the antibodies that have been formed in the mother's body will attack the blood of the baby with the rhesus positive group, causing the baby's blood cells to be destroyed.
However, if a rhesus negative mother has been exposed to a positive rhesus blood group, for example through a blood transfusion, rhesus incompatibility can occur since the first pregnancy, because antibodies have been formed previously.
Rhesus Incompatibility Diagnosis
Rhesus incompatibility can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after delivery. During pregnancy, the tests that can be done are: Coombs test. This test is done by taking a sample of pregnant women's blood and then checking for the presence of rhesus antibodies. Comgs test will notify the level of antibodies against rhesus in the blood of pregnant women, which are at risk of entering the child's body.
After the baby is born, the baby suspected of having rhesus incompatibility will undergo a blood test. Blood tests on infants suspected of having rhesus incompatibility aim to calculate the levels of bilirubin (a substance that makes yellow), the number of red blood cells and their structure, as well as antibodies to rhesus.
Babies who have rhesus incompatibility will have high levels of bilirubin, especially within 24 hours after birth, due to many blood cells being destroyed. In addition, infants with rhesus incompatibility will also detect antibodies against rhesus in their blood.
Rhesus Incompatibility Treatment and Prevention
The focus of treatment and prevention of rhesus incompatibility is to reduce the effects of the disease on the baby. To prevent rhesus incompatibility, doctors can give Rho injections when the mother is undergoing her first pregnancy.
Giving Rho in the first pregnancy will help prevent the mother's immune system from forming antibodies against Rhesus. Rho administration can be done at the following times:
- After 28 weeks of the first pregnancy.
- At 72 hours after delivery, the baby is rhesus positive.
With this prevention, it is hoped that the mother's immune system will not form antibodies against rhesus, so that in the second pregnancy, there are no antibodies that damage the blood of a rhesus positive fetus.
If a newborn has Rhesus incompatibility, the baby needs to be treated with:
- Giving blood transfusions to replace the destroyed blood cells.
- Administration of fluids or electrolytes to prevent dehydration.
- Phototherapy to break down bilirubin substances that accumulate in the baby's skin and organs.
Blood transfusions and phototherapy in infants can be repeated until the symptoms subside and the condition improves. Repeated blood transfusions and phototherapy depend on the severity of the red cell damage caused by Rh incompatibility.
Rhesus Incompatibility Complications
Mild rhesus incompatibility can be treated and the baby recovers. However, in severe rhesus incompatibility, complications can arise due to red blood cell damage, namely:
- Severe anemia.
- Heart failure.
- seizures.
- Brain damage in infants from jaundice (kernicterus).
- Fluid buildup and swelling of the baby's body.
- Mental disorders.
- Nerve disorders, such as problems with moving, hearing, or speaking.
