Rh Antibody Titres Tips

What Is Erythroblastosis Fetalis?

Dr. Prabhjot Manchanda 93% (819 ratings)
MBBS, DNB - Obstetrics & Gynecology
Gynaecologist, Mumbai
What Is Erythroblastosis Fetalis?

Erythroblastosis fetalis is also known as haemolytic anaemia in the newborn. This occurs due to blood incompatibility in the mother and foetus. Due to this incompatibility, the antibodies present in the mother’s blood, will pass through the placental barrier and attack the blood cells of the foetus. This will lead to the destruction of the red blood cells of the foetus and it is likely to cause anaemia in the foetus. This condition varies from mild to very serious. In its moderate or severe stage, the erythroblasts or immature red blood cells are formed in the blood of the foetus and this disease is called erythroblastosis fetalis.

Why does it happen?
The two main causes of erythroblastosis fetalis are Rh incompatibility and ABO incompatibility.

  1. Rh Incompatibility: When the mother is Rh –ve and the father is Rh +ve, there is a good chance for the baby to be Rh +ve. The antigens present in the blood of the Rh +ve baby will behave like a foreign agent and the mother will produce antibodies against it. If it is the first pregnancy, then the child may not be at risk, however, if the second child ends up being of +ve blood group again, then the antibodies present in the mother’s blood will attack the baby and may result in a spontaneous abortion.
  2. ABO Incompatibility: This usually occurs when the mother’s blood group A, B, O does not match the baby’s. This causes fewer complications in comparison to Rh incompatibility, but it may be severe if the child has a very rare blood group.

How to avoid it?
It is a highly preventive condition. Firstly, you have not tested your blood group; it is advised to get it tested along with the blood group of the father. If you already know your blood group, then you must mention it to your doctor. If the father has negative blood group, then there will be no problem. However if the father is Rh positive, then it is advised to get routine tests done by the doctor.
The other preventive measure to take is a treatment called RhoGAM or the Rh immunoglobulin. It reduces the reaction of the mother to the baby’s blood cells. This shot is administered around the 28th week of the pregnancy. It is also administered 72 hours after the birth of the baby with the positive blood group.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

4673 people found this helpful

Two Main Causes Of Erythroblastosis Fetalis!

Dr. Anju Sharma 87% (58 ratings)
MBBS, MS - Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Gynaecologist, Agra
Two Main Causes Of Erythroblastosis Fetalis!

What is erythroblastosis fetalis?
Erythroblastosis fetalis is also known as haemolytic anaemia in the newborn. This occurs due to blood incompatibility in the mother and foetus. Due to this incompatibility, the antibodies present in the mother’s blood, will pass through the placental barrier and attack the blood cells of the foetus. This will lead to the destruction of the red blood cells of the foetus and it is likely to cause anaemia in the foetus. This condition varies from mild to very serious. In its moderate or severe stage, the erythroblasts or immature red blood cells are formed in the blood of the foetus and this disease is called erythroblastosis fetalis.

Why does it happen?
The two main causes of erythroblastosis fetalis are Rh incompatibility and ABO incompatibility.

  1. Rh Incompatibility: When the mother is Rh –ve and the father is Rh +ve, there is a good chance for the baby to be Rh +ve. The antigens present in the blood of the Rh +ve baby will behave like a foreign agent and the mother will produce antibodies against it. If it is the first pregnancy, then the child may not be at risk, however, if the second child ends up being of +ve blood group again, then the antibodies present in the mother’s blood will attack the baby and may result in a spontaneous abortion.
  2. ABO Incompatibility: This usually occurs when the mother’s blood group A, B, O does not match the baby’s. This causes fewer complications in comparison to Rh incompatibility, but it may be severe if the child has a very rare blood group.

How to avoid it?
It is a highly preventive condition. Firstly, you have not tested your blood group; it is advised to get it tested along with the blood group of the father. If you already know your blood group, then you must mention it to your doctor. If the father has negative blood group, then there will be no problem. However if the father is Rh positive, then it is advised to get routine tests done by the doctor.
The other preventive measure to take is a treatment called RhoGAM or the Rh immunoglobulin. It reduces the reaction of the mother to the baby’s blood cells. This shot is administered around the 28th week of the pregnancy. It is also administered 72 hours after the birth of the baby with the positive blood group.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

2518 people found this helpful

Erythroblastosis Fetalis - Why It Happens?

Dr. Sonal Kumar 91% (505 ratings)
fellow in Obstetric Medicine , MS - Obstetrics and Gynaecology, FMAS, DMAS, MBBS
Gynaecologist, Hyderabad
Erythroblastosis Fetalis - Why It Happens?

What is erythroblastosis fetalis?
Erythroblastosis fetalis is also known as haemolytic anaemia in the newborn. This occurs due to blood incompatibility in the mother and foetus. Due to this incompatibility, the antibodies present in the mother’s blood, will pass through the placental barrier and attack the blood cells of the foetus. This will lead to the destruction of the red blood cells of the foetus and it is likely to cause anaemia in the foetus. This condition varies from mild to very serious. In its moderate or severe stage, the erythroblasts or immature red blood cells are formed in the blood of the foetus and this disease is called erythroblastosis fetalis.

Why does it happen?
The two main causes of erythroblastosis fetalis are Rh incompatibility and ABO incompatibility.

  1. Rh Incompatibility: When the mother is Rh –ve and the father is Rh +ve, there is a good chance for the baby to be Rh +ve. The antigens present in the blood of the Rh +ve baby will behave like a foreign agent and the mother will produce antibodies against it. If it is the first pregnancy, then the child may not be at risk, however, if the second child ends up being of +ve blood group again, then the antibodies present in the mother’s blood will attack the baby and may result in a spontaneous abortion.
  2. ABO Incompatibility: This usually occurs when the mother’s blood group A, B, O does not match the baby’s. This causes fewer complications in comparison to Rh incompatibility, but it may be severe if the child has a very rare blood group.

How to avoid it?
It is a highly preventive condition. Firstly, you have not tested your blood group; it is advised to get it tested along with the blood group of the father. If you already know your blood group, then you must mention it to your doctor. If the father has negative blood group, then there will be no problem. However if the father is Rh positive, then it is advised to get routine tests done by the doctor.
The other preventive measure to take is a treatment called RhoGAM or the Rh immunoglobulin. It reduces the reaction of the mother to the baby’s blood cells. This shot is administered around the 28th week of the pregnancy. It is also administered 72 hours after the birth of the baby with the positive blood group. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pediatrician.

2784 people found this helpful

Bleeding During Early Pregnancy - How To Diagnose Miscarriage?

Dr. Astha Dayal 90% (43 ratings)
Fellowship and Diploma in Laparoscopic Surgery, FOGSI Advanced Infertility Training, MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MBBS, MRCOG
Gynaecologist, Gurgaon
Bleeding During Early Pregnancy - How To Diagnose Miscarriage?

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion.

Symptoms of miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

- Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.

If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.

Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage: 

-   The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
-   Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
-   Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
-   Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
-   Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
-   If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
-   If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

2092 people found this helpful

Bleeding in Early Pregnancy - Signs Of Miscarriage

MD - Obstetrtics & Gynaecology, MBBS, Diploma In Specialised Advanced Gynaecological Endoscopy
Gynaecologist, Delhi
Bleeding in Early Pregnancy - Signs Of Miscarriage

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion.

Symptoms of Miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

-   Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.
If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.

Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage are as below :

-   The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
-   Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
-   Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
-   Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
-   Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
-   If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
-   If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

2861 people found this helpful

Early Pregnancy Bleeding - Diagnosing Miscarriage!

Dr. Anita Mahey 87% (31 ratings)
Fellowship in Laparoscopic and Robotic Onco-Surgery, MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MBBS
Gynaecologist, Chandigarh
Early Pregnancy Bleeding - Diagnosing Miscarriage!

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion.

Symptoms of Miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

- Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.
If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.

Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage:

-   The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
-   Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
-   Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
-   Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
-   Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
-   If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
-   If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

4224 people found this helpful

Bleeding In First Trimester - It Could Be A Sign Of Miscarriage!

Dr. Nupur Gupta 93% (284 ratings)
MICOG, MS - Obstetrics and Gynaecology, MBBS
Gynaecologist, Gurgaon
Bleeding In First Trimester - It Could Be A Sign Of Miscarriage!

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion. Symptoms of Miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

  • Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.
  • If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.

Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage: 

  1. The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage.
  2. Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected.
  3. Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages.
  4. Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages.
  5. Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
  6. If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
  7. If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

2973 people found this helpful

Miscarriage - How To Diagnose it!

Dr. Sunita Gupta 87% (64 ratings)
MBBS, MD - Obstetrtics & Gynaecology
Gynaecologist, Delhi
Miscarriage - How To Diagnose it!

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion. Symptoms of miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy. Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother.

The other causes are:

Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother. If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy.

A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage: 

  1. The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
  2. Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
  3. Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
  4. Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
  5. Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
  6. If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
  7. If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist and ask a free question.
3903 people found this helpful

Bleeding In Initial Pregnancy - Knowing Causes Of It!

Dr. Naimesh Patel 90% (22 ratings)
MBBS, MD - Obstetrtics & Gynaecology
Gynaecologist, Ahmedabad
Bleeding In Initial Pregnancy - Knowing Causes Of It!

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion.

Symptoms of Miscarriage 

Miscarriage happens due to weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Cause of Miscarriage

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

-  Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.
If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.


Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.

Diagnosis of Miscarriage

-   The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
-   Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
-   Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
-   Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
-   Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
-   If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
-   If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

4169 people found this helpful

Bleeding In Initial Pregnancy - Know Cause Of It!

Dr. Jyotsna Patel 88% (14 ratings)
MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MBBS
Gynaecologist, Mumbai
Bleeding In Initial Pregnancy - Know Cause Of It!

Miscarriage is termed as the loss of the fetus in or before 20th week of pregnancy. Medically, miscarriage is known as spontaneous abortion though the word spontaneous is more of a keyword as it is not an abortion.

Symptoms of Miscarriage are weakness, back pain, fever, abdominal pain along with severe cramps and bleeding which starts from slow to heavy.

Common cause of miscarriage is when the fetus is known to have fatal genetic problems and these are not related with the mother. The other causes are:

-   Infection, medical problems like thyroid and diabetes, immune system rejection, hormonal imbalance, abnormalities of the uterus, and physical problems of the mother.
If a woman is over 35 years of age, has thyroid and diabetes and has had an earlier miscarriage then that woman is at a high risk of getting a miscarriage.

Sometimes a miscarriage might take place due to the cervical insufficiency. This is due to the weak cervix, also known as the incomponent cervix, which is unable to hold the pregnancy. A miscarriage in this condition usually occurs in the second trimester. Though there are a very few symptoms in this but there might be a feeling of sudden pressure that the water is going to break and tissues from the placenta and fetus are released without any pain. This can however be treated by a stitch in the cervix at 12 weeks. 

This stitch helps to hold the cervix until the full term is completed. If it is first pregnancy and cervical insufficiency is diagnosed then also a stitch can be applied thus resulting in full term and avoiding miscarriage.


Diagnosis of Miscarriage

-   The doctor does a pelvic test, an ultrasound and blood tests to confirm a miscarriage
-   Blood tests are done to analyze the pregnancy hormone hCG. This is monitored regularly if miscarriage is suspected
-   Genetic tests, blood tests and medication are important in women who have a history of prior miscarriages
-   Pelvic ultrasound and hysterosalpingogram are tests which are done when there are repeated miscarriages
-   Test like hysteroscopy is also done. In this the doctor observes the inside of the uterus with a device which is thin and like a telescope. This is inserted in the vagina and cervix.
-   If the cervix is dilated, then the woman might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix and this can be corrected by cerclage - a procedure done to close the cervix.
-   If the blood type of the pregnant woman is Rh negative, she is prescribed a blood product called Rh immune globulin (Rhogam). This prevents from forming antibodies which could turn to be harmful for the baby.

3680 people found this helpful