In order to discuss the effects of Rh incompatibility between a woman and her unborn child, we must first understand what the Rh factor is. The Rh factor is an inherited protein found on the surface of red blood cells. In addition to the 8 blood types, a person is Rh positive if the Rh factor is present on their red blood cells and Rh negative if it is absent.

The problem arises when a mother who doesn’t have the Rh factor conceives a child who does. If a mother is Rh negative and the father is Rh positive, this problem has a 50% chance of occurring– rather large odds. In this case, the mother’s immune system will recognize the Rh factor in the blood of the fetus to be invasive. When this happens, the mother’s immune system will produce antibodies with the aim of attacking the blood cells with the Rh factor. In most cases however, the child will be born before enough antibodies are produced to cause harm. The problem lies in any subsequent pregnancies; if an Rh negative mother gets pregnant with a second Rh positive child, complications will arise. The body already knows how to produce antibodies to attack cells with the Rh factor, which could result in the unborn child contracting anemia, jaundice, or even stillbirth.

Unfortunately for many mothers, this problem isn’t exactly avoidable; it’s entirely genetic and up to chance based on blood type. However, there are a couple different ways that people can prevent complications even if they are Rh negative and their child is Rh positive. Firstly, a simple blood test can help pregnant women discover whether or not their child is incompatible with their own blood. Taking a blood test would tell the woman whether she is Rh negative or Rh positive– if she is Rh positive then there is nothing to worry about. If the mother is Rh negative, there are fetal blood tests that can be conducted to determine the blood type of the fetus. In the case that the mother is incompatible with their child, Rh immune globulin (known to most as RhoGAM) can be injected to prevent the mother from producing antibodies that would attack the unborn child.

Without the consumption of medication, Rh incompatibility can be deadly. These types of innovations in the field of biology are revolutionary as beforehand, most cases of Rh incompatibility would result in complications or even death. RhoGAM is an FDA approved medication which is the result of John G. Gorman’s research and laboratory work in the 1960s. By destroying all Rh positive blood cells from the fetus which enter the mother’s bloodstream, the mother’s immune system never has a chance to become sensitized to “invasive” blood cells. A highly effective drug, RhoGAM has helped countless mothers give birth to healthy children, and earned its place as a game-changer in the field of child birth.