Would an infant born with erythroblastosis need a Rh negative transfussion instead of Rh positive blood?

Answer 1

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/102/1/S1/203
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001600.htm
http://pennhealth.com/ency/article/001600.htm
These three sites have much information and are very educational. There is just to much to list to answer your question specifically with detailed explanations. Please visit these sites and read the literature as they are very informative both for your behalf as the mother and for the newborn child and for future unborn children.

Answer 2

To have the newborn with the condition of Rh incompatibility would mean that the mother was Rh negative blood type,and the baby was Rh positive.That means the baby did have the Rh factor or protein that we all have or haven't,that makes us all a positive or negative Rh factor,whether A B O or AB,blood type.Giving the baby Rh negative blood would not cause the baby any harmful effects from the donar blood.Before birth the babies and mothers blood never mix,each has its own blood supply etc,but a tiny exchange of antibodies does occur,causing the mother to look at the babies blood as threat,and so the red blood cell destruction begins and anemia will occur and the reason for the blood transfusion.This problem will only affect Rh neg. Mom's with a Rh pos Dad,and with the baby inheriting the blood type of the father.It rarely causes a problem with the first pregnancy,but will affect later pregnancies,the treatment is with "Rho Gam", injection of immune globulin given to the Mom before and after each delivery. Take care. SW RNP

Answer 3

If you are only considering erythroblastosis with respect to the Rh factor, then the infant could receive either Rh pos. or Rh neg. blood, because in order for erythroblastosis to occur, the baby MUST be Rh positive. The way it works is this:

Erythroblastosis ONLY occurs when the baby is RH POSITIVE and the mother is RH NEGATIVE.

Rh Negative means that the Rhesus factor is not produced. Therefore, antibodies will be created if an immune system that carries only Rh Negative blood cells encounters Rh positive blood cells.

Rh Positive means that the Rhesus factor is present.

The problem is that the mother (who must be Rh negative for this to occur) produces antibodies that act AGAINST the baby's blood.

The baby (Rh positive) will not produce antibodies to Rh negative blood, because the immune system cannot fight the absence of a Rhesus factor, only the presence. So, the baby could get either type of blood with no repercussions.

Answer 4

Do you mean the blood for exchange transfusion for erythroblostosis fetalis? The baby is Rh +ve, but antibodies against Rh factor have gone into the baby's blood from the mother. They are destroying his red blood cells and making him jaundiced and anemic. Therefore, Rh -ve blood must be used. If Rh+ve blood is used, it will again be destroyed by the antibodies. Exchange transfusion removes some of the antibodies and not all of them. Antibodies can persist in the baby for about 6 weeks.