Couples planning to get married often ask questions such as “What is Rhesus disease?”, “What are the treatment methods?” and “Which blood groups are at risk for blood incompatibility?” Although it does not pose a problem for the couple’s personal health, those who are considering having a baby should take blood incompatibility seriously for the health of the baby. Couples should have a blood incompatibility test before having a child and if there is an incompatibility, they should start the treatment process with early intervention.
What is Rhesus disease?
Blood groups are divided into 3 main categories as A, B and 0, while the Rh factor is added to these groups and is indicated as positive or negative. Blood incompatibility is a situation where the blood groups of the mother and the unborn child are incompatible. This incompatibility occurs especially when the mother’s blood is Rh negative and the child’s blood is Rh positive.
This difference between the Rh factors of the mother’s and father’s blood groups can affect the baby’s health and lead to a condition that needs to be treated. This incompatibility between the Rh-negative mother’s and the Rh-positive baby’s blood can cause antibodies formed in the mother’s blood to pass into the baby’s blood during or after birth, which leads to the destruction of the baby’s blood cells.
Australian James Harrison has a rare and special blood mixture, so his blood contains an antibody that plays a critical role in the treatment of rhesus disease. This antibody is a therapeutic component that prevents antibodies in the blood of pregnant mothers from damaging the blood cells of the baby in the womb. It is of great value in the medical field and makes an important contribution to the management of rhesus disease.
What are the symptoms of Rhesus disease?
Rhesus disease symptoms can range from mild symptoms to serious health problems. In its simplest form, this incompatibility can cause the destruction of red blood cells. Symptoms of blood incompatibility that may appear in a baby after birth include:
- Pale skin due to anemia
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
- Tachycardia, that is, rapid heartbeat
- Weakness and general lack of energy
- Swelling caused by fluid accumulation under the skin
- Expansion and swelling in the abdominal area
How is Rhesus disease treated?
In the treatment of rhesus disease, incompatibility can be detected and prevented with blood tests performed in the early stages of pregnancy. Applying a blood incompatibility injection between the 28th and 34th weeks of pregnancy can prevent problems that may occur in the future. If blood incompatibility is present after the baby is born, treatment varies depending on the situation.
Babies with mild Rh incompatibility are usually treated with phototherapy using bilirubin lights, while in more severe cases interventions such as blood exchange may be used.