Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

DisulfideBondage t1_j1pkugs wrote

Risk is low during normal pregnancy. The risk is elevated during labor. If the mother’s blood gets into the child’s bloodstream it can cause pathological jaundice as the child’s immune system attacks the foreign blood cells breaking down the hemoglobin, elevating bilirubin levels.

46

AmbilevousMD t1_j1qnjg8 wrote

This is kind of the opposite of what usually happens. During pregnancy, fetal red cells can cross the placenta causing an immune reaction in Mom. The antibodies from this reaction cross the placenta and can attack fetal red cells. There is a spectrum of severity ranging from hydrops fetalis to clinically insignificant. The antibodies linger in fetal circulation after birth and subsequent red cell destruction can contribute to jaundice. You can test for the presence of these antibodies with a Coombs test.

44

CartographerMore9712 t1_j1rpoqq wrote

It’s the opposite. Yes The risk is low during pregnancy and is more likely to occur during delivery but it’s the baby’s blood that passes into the mothers blood stream causing the mother immune system to produce antibodies against the baby’s blood. These antibodies can pass across the placenta and attack the baby’s blood cells causing them to be destroyed. It is then the subsequent pregnancies that the Fetus and baby are affected.

10