A member asked:

Just got home from doctor. she said i have rh isoimmunization. looked it up online and now more confused that ever. can you explain what it means to have it?

9 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Dr. Dennis Higginbotham answered

Specializes in American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Pregnancy concerns: The rh factor is found on the red blood cells of 85% of people in america, they are rh positive. You would be rh negative, because you do not have the rh factor on your red blood cells and because of that you have developed an antibody against the rh factor. That antibody protects you but can cross the placenta when you are pregnant and can cause severe problems for your unborn baby.

Answered 3/12/2012

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You have antibodies: You do not have the rh protein on your red blood cells (you are rh negative), but at some point you were exposed to blood cells which do have that protein on them, and your body made antibodies that kill those cells. If your body makes enough antibodies during a pregnancy, they can cross the placenta and attack an rh positive baby's red blood cells. This can cause anemia or death of the baby.

Answered 2/14/2016

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