what is the Rh factor? and first ultrasound?

Question

can someone please explain to me about the Rh factor i keep reading about in my pregnancy books? also, i have my first actual exam after i found i was pregnant, in about two weeks. i will be about 12 weeks along. should i expect to have an ultrasound?

Answer 1

Rh factor is when your blood is negative and the father's blood is positive which can make the baby's blood positive (opposite of yours) When this happens your blood makes antibodies for the baby's blood if your bloods mix during delivery. There's no real danger now, but with future pregnancies because if you develop these antibodies they will attack and destroy the fetus's red blood cells. There's a shot they give you to prevent this from happening so no worries. The first ultrasound will determine the due date and any early signs of complications. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Usually you will not need an ultrasound if everything checks out ok until you are around 20 weeks. Some people do have early ultrasounds, but typically i believe the first comes at 20 weeks. (Or did for me) As for the RH factor....that is when a women has lets say A- blood type, that means she is RH negative. (I am A-) Now, if the woman gets pregnant with an RH positive man, say someone with A+ blood (my husband is A+) then the womans body will see this blood type as foreign and try to fight it off. Usually the first pregnancy will be just fine, and you will recieve a shot of Rhogam around 27-28 weeks to prevent your body from fighting off the "foreign" blood type. (in most cases the baby gets the fathers blood type, so it gets the "foreign" type) Then once you deliver the baby, you will recieve another shot of Rhogam to ensure your body does not develope antibodies that will try to "fight off" another pregnancy in the future. When you go for your initial bloodwork, you will get a blood type test, if you are a positive blood type, you need not worry unless the babies father is negative. I hope that explains it. Good luck and congrats!

Answer 3

Rh factor refers to a group of blood typing antigens found primarily on red cells. If the mother does not have these antigens on her red cells, she is referred to as Rh negative. If the mother has a baby by a man who is Rh positive, then the baby may be Rh positive.
In pregnancy a few of the baby's blood cells leak into the blood stream of the mother.(This is normal) If these cells are Rh positive and the mother is Rh negative, then then the mother may begin to produce antibodies that destroy red blood cells from the baby.
In the first pregnancy like this the effects are usually small, but in the following pregnancies, the effect can be much greater and cause the baby to be severely anemic In some cases, the baby can die.
To prevent the mother's body from recognizing the red cells that leak into her blood stream as foreign, the mother is given an injection of "Rhogam" in the middle of pregnancy. This "Rhogam" is the very antibodies that destroy the Rh positive red cells. The Rhogam is made from the serum of mothers who had this problem (it was not prevented). The Rhogam destroys those red cells that leak into the mother's system before the mother can produce her own antibodies. It is also given later if the pregnancy goes late (the Rhogam only lasts 12-14 weeks) and after birth if the baby is Rh positive. (because many more cells leak into the mother's system at delivery) It is also given at the time of miscarriage and if any bleeding occurs in pregnancy.
It works well when given properly and carries no risk of blood-borne infection.
The Old System was to do the first ultrasound around 18-20 weeks, The New is to do the first ultrasound as soon as possible.
Many problems can be discovered at this early ultrasound, and the very best dating of the pregnancy can be done at the first ultrasound.

Answer 4

Rh is for the Rhesus antigen that some people have in their blood. It is what the + sign is for after your blood type. The most common blood type is O+.

If your blood type has a +, then you have the Rh factor. If not, then you don't.

There is a small risk when a pregnant women who is not Rh positive is carrying a child that is, because the woman's body will treat the antigen as an infection and the immune system will go haywire. That is usually at the time of birth. Generally, you don't need to worry and the doctors will check for any problems.

Answer 5

the Rh factor has to do with blood type. If you and the father of the baby are both positive or negative then i dont think you have to worry but I have blood type A- and my husband has B+ so they had to do the Rh test to make sure, if my son had positive blood type (which he did-he ended up being AB+) there is a chance your body will sense it as something that is not supposed to be in there and may start building antibodies which could affect the baby during end of pregnancy and delivery. everything usually ends up being ok they just like to know so they (and you) can be prepared.
check out What to Expect while you are expecting, it will tell you everything you need to know
Congratulations
ps i had my first ultrasound at 10 weeks but that was my second doctors appointment, they usually dont do it on your first visit, they spend more time on blood work

Answer 6

The Rh factor is the blood type you have Rh+ve or Rh -ve
It was coined from tests done on Rhesus monekeys.
At 12 weeks you can have an ultrasound but not much to see at this stage.
It will depend on your doctor and whether he thinks it nescessary
Around 18-20 weeks is much more development

Answer 7

Seeing as it is your first exam I would definitely expect an ultrasound. Normally they do this to make sure your dates are correct, and they then use this information to calculate your due date.

The Rh factor (Rhesus Factor) is something that can affect you later in pregnancy. If you and your partner have different blood types you can sometimes make a baby that is "allergic" to your blood, and your body will start to "reject" it. It is treatable and can be managed, but is very rare and normally is not something to be to concerned about. Also, the only real time to be concerned is if your blood type is rhesus negative and the babies is rhesus positive.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

The rh factor is when you have a negative blood type. I have negative blood so when I was pregnant, I had to get a shot to keep my neg. blood from fighting the babys blood (if the baby has positive blood). Its a precausionary thing. You won't get an ultasound until around 14 weeks. The Dr. will do a heart beat cheeck on your first visit though. Good Luck!!

Answer 9

Erythroblastosis fetalis is a potentially life-threatening blood disorder in a fetus or newborn infant. Erythroblastosis fetalis develops in an unborn infant when the mom and the baby have different blood types. The mother produces substances called antibodies that attack the developing baby's red blood cells. The most common form of erythroblastosis fetalis is *** incompatibility, which can vary in its severity. The less common form is called Rh incompatibility, which more often causes a very severe anemia in the baby.

Answer 10

Rh factor is to do with your blood type (if you are - or +) If you are - like I am, they would give you a shot:
1. at the start of your 3rd trimester
2. if you have a procedure like an amneo
3. after you give birth.

You likely will have an ultrasound very soon, this really depends on your doctor, but as you are close to your second trimester, it shouldn't be too long.