Many of us have heard of such pregnancy complications as Rhesus-conflict, but not everyone clearly imagines that it is, in some cases it manifests itself and how to avoid it.
To understand these issues, we first consider "under the microscope" of well-known structure of red blood cells, the most blood cells that provide the body of oxygen. The fact that the surface of the red balls replete with protein structures, which in medicine are called antigens.
Some of them are responsible for the blood group, others define whether a person is Rh-positive or Rh-negative. They are called Rh factor, and information about their presence or absence is often observed in the passport as a Rh (+) or Rh (-).
The presence in the body Rhesus determined using simple laboratory methods (so-called agglutination) within just a few minutes.
About 85% of people are Rh-positive, with noticed an interesting feature: among the people Blacks no Rh-negative. The name of the Rh factor received from the rhesus monkey, in which the antigen was detected for the first time.
In determining the Rh accessories unborn child are also important features of inheritance and Rh factor. Since each hereditary trait contains two genes (one from the mother and the second from father) Rh may be represented by two genes or Rh (+), one or Rh (+) and a Rh (-), or two Rh (-). In the first two cases, the child is Rh-positive, in the latter case it is Rh negative.
Having clarified these anatomical and genetic characteristics, we can understand why there is Rh-conflict pregnancy. After all, if the body's Rh-negative mothers develop a child receives from his father's Rh gene (+), in the blood of the child appear red blood cells with the Rh antigen. This Rh immune system of the mother - the foreign protein agent with whom he had never met, and therefore, the body must be cleansed from strangers "invaders." Thus, without even wanting to, my mother starts vyrabatyvatimmunitetprotiv own as a baby, which causes the Rh-conflict.
Thus fetal erythrocytes antibody attack on the surface and which are alien to the maternal organism protein structures. As a result of this attack, the erythrocytes are destroyed, resulting in hemolytic anemia fetus (hemolysis - the destruction of erythrocytes). In the end, it ends the development of severe disease of the internal organs kid (liver, spleen, brain, etc..), due to a sharp lack of oxygen at high risk of fetal death and miscarriage.
To avoid such complications woman with Rh-negative (if the child's father is Rh-positive) must examined on the titer of antibodies against the Rh factor, with increasing gestation, the more should be a examination. As a rule, the first pregnancy, Rh-conflict is not observed, but its likelihood increases sharply with each subsequent pregnancy, so within the next three days after the birth the woman must enter specific antirhesus immunoglobulin. These preventive measures are guaranteed to prevent the development of Rh-conflict during the next pregnancy.
If blood tests show growth titer antibodies against the Rh factor, is urgently needed therapeutic application measures, the main of which is the use of immunosuppressive drugs and, if necessary, intrauterine transfusions blood. In the umbilical vein are administered 30 - 50 ml of donated packed red blood cells. Puncture occurs under the control of ultrasound. Transplantation of fresh red blood cell mass makes it possible to prolong the pregnancy until 38 weeks, when the child becomes completely viable outside the womb.
The best prevention Rh conflict - this is the previously mentioned introduction of specific immunoglobulin in the next three days after birth. Similar prevention is also needed of Incomplete pregnancy (miscarriage, abortion), injury of a pregnant woman, the procedural manipulation of the fetus shells.
