Explain in short about erythroblastosis fetalis
Answers
Answer:
hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn that occurs when the immune system of an Rh-negative mother produces antibodies to an antigen in the blood of an Rh-positive fetus which cross the placenta and destroy fetal erythrocytes and that is characterized by an increase in circulating erythroblasts and by jaundice.
Erythroblastosis fetalis:
It is special case of Rh incompatibility (mismatching) between Rh –ve blood of a pregnant mother with Rh +ve blood of foetus. This case may be seen if mother is Rh -ve and father is Rh +ve.
Rh antigens of fetus do not get exposed to Rh –ve blood of mother during pregnancy as the two bloods are well separated by placenta.
However, during the delivery of first child, there is possibility of exposure of maternal blood to small amount of Rh+ve blood from the child.
If this happens, mother’s immune system starts preparing antibodies against Rh antigen in her blood.
In her subsequent pregnancies, the Rh antibodies from mother’s blood cross the placenta barriers and leak into the blood of fetus (Rh+ve) and destroy fetal RBCs.
This could be fatal to fetus and cause severe anemia and jaundice to body. This condition is called erythroblastosis fetalis.
This can be avoided by administering anti–Rh antibodies to the mother immediately after the delivery of the first child.
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