Understand why it’s important to check Rh grouping of blood

Hyderabad: This article is in continuation to the previous article that focused on body fluids and circulation. In today’s this article, we will discuss further blood groups, donor compatibility and Rh grouping.

Blood Groups and Donor Compatibility

Blood Group Antigens on RBCs Antibodies in Plasma Donor’s Group

A A anti-B A, O
B B anti-A B, O
AB A, B nill AB, A, B O
O nill anti-A, B O
Rh grouping

• Another antigen, the Rh antigen similar to one present in Rhesus monkeys (hence Rh), is also observed on the surface of RBCs of majority (nearly 80 per cent) of humans. Such individuals are called Rh positive (Rh ve) and those in whom this antigen is absent are called Rh negative (Rh-ve).
• An Rh-ve person, if exposed to Rh ve blood, will form specific antibodies against the Rh antigens. Therefore, Rh group should also be matched before transfusions.
• A special case of Rh incompatibility (mismatching) has been observed between the Rh-ve blood of a pregnant mother with Rh ve blood of the foetus.
• Rh antigens of the foetus do not get exposed to the Rh-ve blood of the mother in the first pregnancy as the two bloods are well separated by the placenta.
• However, during the delivery of the first child, there is a possibility of exposure of the maternal blood to small amounts of the Rh ve blood from the foetus.
• In such cases, the mother starts preparing antibodies against Rh antigen in her blood. In case of her subsequent pregnancies, the Rh antibodies from the mother (Rh-ve) can leak into the blood of the foetus (Rh ve) and destroy the foetal RBCs.
• This could be fatal to the foetus or could cause severe anaemia and jaundice to the baby. This condition is called erythroblastosis foetalis.
• This can be avoided by administering anti-Rh antibodies to the mother immediately after the delivery of the first child.