Could Fetal Rh+ve Blood Induce Immune Response in Rh-ve Mothers?

[Suraj M]

They say that the Rh+ve blood group baby if developing can stimulate an immune response in the mother (Rh-ve) but the first baby won't be affected,
My question is actually when exactly the Rh antigen comes in contact with the mothers blood?

 

[phyzguy]

I'm not an expert, but as I understand it, this typically happens at birth. Birth is a traumatic experience, with torn tissues and bleeding.

 

[Suraj M]

That's exactly what I thought too.
But I read that (not exact words)-" the Rh antigens of the foetus create an immune response, but before sufficient antibodies are produced the baby would have been delivered" now that leads me to believe that the antigens reach the mothers blood even before. Or am I interpreting it in the wrong way? I'll try finding the source where I read it and get the exact sentence.

 

[Suraj M]

Found it!

I don't buy this! It can't possibly be true!?

 

[gjonesy]

I am not a medical professional but I am a Rh- offspring, in my case there was no need for any drugs to be administered to my mother. But it is my understanding that a certain Rh immunoglobulin can be given to the expecting mother Rh- with a Rh+ baby to counter act this hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia. I'm not sure why this is, but Rh- Baby has no problems being conceived with an Rh+ mother.

 

[Suraj M]

Gjonesy you are a Rh-ve offspring as in your mother is -ve?
I'm a negative too my mother is not, in my case it really doesn't matter, but if my mother were to be Rh-ve and me +ve then too no problem to me or mum but if I were going to have a younger sibling with +ve blood then there's a problem.
I didn't completely understand your situation

 

[gjonesy]

No my mom was Rh+, Gave birth to 2 Rh- babies with no problem. My half sister on the other hand Also negative thanks to my dad had to have these injections for her second child if memory serves me correctly.

addendum:
I had the response backward Its a Rh- mother and Rh+ baby.

 

[phyzguy]

Found it!
I don't buy this! It can't possibly be true!?

Why can't this possibly be true? What about it is difficult to accept?

 

[Suraj M]

They are saying RBCs move through the placenta! Really? RBCs? I don't think that happens, only viruses and some bacteria and selected small immunoglobins (IgG) can pass through

 

[phyzguy]

The article you quoted says that in the late stages of pregnancy there can be slight damage to the placenta that causes mixing of blood. Why is this hard to believe? The placenta is a delicate organ with both blood supplies in close proximity. I could imagine one good kick from the fetus causing enough damage to get some slight blood mixing. Haven't you ever gotten a bruise?

 

[Suraj M]

Okay I asked another teacher
And she said that many books say that in later stages it can but she said she checked in some reputed books, and she is certain that RBCs cannot pass through the placenta, only during and a very short duration after birth due to persistent contractions, the villi are destroyed resulting in the mixing of blood.
If anyone could find any verified source which says that RBCs CAN move across the placenta do share
Because even logically thinking it shouldn't be possible
Else there would be agglutination of both bloods in many cases just because the mothers and the baby's blood group don't match

 

[gjonesy]

I read somewhere that in some pregnant women with some auto-immune disease, their body will occasionally treat the fetus like a foreign body. Could that some how damage the blood supply and cause hemolytic anemia?