Rh Incompatibility Threatens Later Pregnancies

If a woman with Rh-negative blood becomes pregnant with an Rh-positive baby, problems can arise during a second or later pregnancy. Exposure to Rh-positive blood during an earlier pregnancy can cause the mother's immune system to produce antibodies against the Rh factor. In a subsequent Rh-positive pregnancy, those antibodies can cross the placenta and attack the baby's red blood cells as though they were a foreign invader. Without treatment, this condition can cause serious complications for the developing infant.

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