What does Rh positive indicate?
What does Rh positive indicate?
Rhesus (Rh) factor is an inherited protein found on the surface of red blood cells. If your blood has the protein, you’re Rh positive. If your blood lacks the protein, you’re Rh negative. Rh positive is the most common blood type.
Why is Rh positive bad?
Since more people are Rh positive than Rh negative, it is likely that an Rh-negative mother could be carrying a baby who is Rh positive, creating the risk for hemolytic disease of a newborn (HDN) in future pregnancies, essentially destroying that baby’s red blood cells.
What blood type causes blue babies?
Rh disease occurs during pregnancy. It happens when the Rh factors in the mom’s and baby’s blood don’t match. If the Rh negative mother has been sensitized to Rh positive blood, her immune system will make antibodies to attack her baby.
What is the Rh factor?
The Rh factor is an inherited protein that can be found on the surface of the red blood cell. If your blood type is positive, then your blood cells have the Rh protein. If your blood type is negative, then your blood cells lack the Rh protein.
How do you know if you are Rh positive or Rh negative?
If the Rh factor protein is on the cells, the person is Rh positive. If there’s no Rh factor protein, the person is Rh negative. A baby may have the blood type and Rh factor of either parent, or a combination of both parents. There can be a problem when an Rh negative mother has a baby with an Rh positive father.
Why is the Rh factor important in blood transfusions?
The Rh factor is important to determine in blood donations and transfusions. A person with the Rh positive factor will not make anti-Rh antibodies. Those with Rh negative factor will produce the antibodies. Therefore, someone with Rh+ blood can receive both Rh+ and Rh- transfusions, but those with Rh- can only receive Rh- blood.
What is the difference between RH+ and Rh+ blood types?
A person with the Rh positive factor will not make anti-Rh antibodies. Those with Rh negative factor will produce the antibodies. Therefore, someone with Rh+ blood can receive both Rh+ and Rh- transfusions, but those with Rh- can only receive Rh- blood. Blood type and Rh factor screening are done not only to categorize a blood donation.
