How long rhogam is effective

Learn more about what this shot is and if and when you might need it when pregnant. Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below. The Benefits of Prenatal Testing. Prenatal Testing During Pregnancy. View Sources. March of Dimes, Rh Disease , July June Pregnancy Groups. Transfus Med Rev ; Ascari, W. Abortion and maternal Rh immunization.

Clin Obstet Gynec. Anti-D immunoglobulin in RhD prophylaxis. Br J Obstet Gynaecol ; Zipurski A, Israels LG. The pathogenesis and prevention of Rh immunisation. Can MedAssoc J ; Search for:. Rh factor is a protein that most people carry in their blood. If your blood cells have this protein, it means you are Rh-positive. The majority of the people have a positive Rh factor. Children inherit it from one of the ir parents through their genes. During pregnancy, problems can arise if you are Rh-negative and your fetus is Rh-positive.

Treatments are available to deal with such complications and you need such treatments during pregnancy to protect you and your baby. Rh factor testing is necessary during the pregnancy, especially if you're planning to have more children later on. It is important to get tested and get the treatment if needed. Problems do not occur during the first pregnancy when a n Rh-negative person has an Rh-positive fetus. At this stage, the body does not develop very many antibodies. But if treatment is not sought during the first pregnancy, the body can make more antibodies in subsequent pregnancies, which can put the fe tus at risk.

When the mother has a positive Rh factor, and the baby's father is Rh-positive, there may be complications if the baby inherits the dad's Rh factor. This is called Rh incompatibility. The chance of inheriting the mo ther's Rh factor is more than inheriting the father's Rh factor.

We can determine the Rh incompatibility by taking blood samples and testing them. Rh incompatibility is not a problem during your first pregnancy. But once your immune system starts to resp ond, there is a risk of hemolytic disease for future Rh-positive fetuses. It is a serious condition that may cause jaundice, amenia, brain damage, or even heart failure.

Here's how it works. Early in your pregnancy, you'll take a blood test to determine whether you are Rh-positive or Rh-negative. Rh, or rhesus, is a protein that rides along on the surface of the red blood cells of about 85 percent of people. If the protein is found on your red blood cells, you are Rh-positive—and if it's not there, you're Rh-negative. The presence or absence of the rhesus protein really only matters when you're pregnant with your second or subsequent child.

Keep reading to learn the reason, and figure out what to expect if you need a RhoGAM shot. Think of antibodies as little warrior cells who go off to do battle against invading forces. Any time you are exposed to an antigen, your body produces antibodies specific to that antigen, so if it attacks again, your immune system is ready to fight it off. This is why your Rh factor isn't an issue during first pregnancies. It isn't until second and subsequent pregnancies, when antibodies are already built up, that Rh incompatibility can cause problems.

Indeed, these antibodies can cross the placenta and attack your baby's red blood cells.