What you need to know about the compatibility of people by blood type in sexual and family relationships? Parent compatibility: how to conceive a baby

18.09.2019

Blood is the internal environment of our body, formed from liquid connective tissue and consisting of plasma and erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, which have a common name - shaped elements.

Every person on the planet has a specific set of proteins - antigens, located on the surface of erythrocytes - non-nuclear cells containing hemoglobin and directly involved in the transfer of oxygen to cells and tissues. With the help of these antigens, it is possible to determine whether a person belongs to a particular blood group, and also establish the Rh factor, which can be positive or negative. According to the results of the studies, it became known that all erythrocytes have the same set of antigens, then the blood group and Rh remain unchanged throughout life.

Today, few people think about such a question as: "compatibility by blood group, Rh factor, and how these indicators can affect the course of pregnancy?" This issue often begins to be interested only as a result of a prolonged non-onset of the desired pregnancy. There is no such thing as the incompatibility of a man and a woman in terms of blood group and Rh factor, because conception occurs with any combination, but in some situations, combining different blood groups and Rh leads to various complications at different stages of pregnancy.

The main elements of the liquid, mobile, connective tissue of the internal environment of our body, which have an impact on the onset and development of pregnancy, are the blood group and the Rh factor (Rh). The most positive option for successful conception and further bearing of a baby is that both parents belong to the same blood group and Rh factor. Unfortunately, this combination is very rare. A huge risk for the child is the inconsistency of the Rh factors between the father and the mother.

There are two types of Rh factors, and it can be positive or, conversely, negative. When the mother is Rh-positive, and the fetus is Rh-negative, then the female body begins to actively produce special antibodies that are opposed to the baby's erythrocytes. As a result, spontaneous pathological termination of pregnancy during the first trimester, the death of the child in the uterus in the second and third trimesters, and the occurrence of hemolytic disease in the fetus can occur. This ailment is characterized by the destruction of red blood cells in the baby, the development of a condition characterized by a low content of red blood cells in the blood plasma, a significant increase in the liver, and an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood plasma.

Rh-conflict pregnancy (+ video)

The combination of the blood group of the expectant mother and the father does not have a particular effect on the conception of the baby, the Rh factor plays a significant role in the course of the future pregnancy. Since in the case of an antigen that is not inherent in it, an immunological reaction begins to occur, as a result of which a Rh conflict may occur, leading to a possible termination of pregnancy.

When a woman has a negative Rh factor, then before planning a pregnancy, she must necessarily pass a blood test for an antibody in the blood plasma. After the onset of infertility, she should regularly take tests and monitor changes in antibody levels until the end of pregnancy. After the birth of the baby, 72 hours later, the newly-made mother should be injected with a special medication, with which you can slow down the appearance of antibodies in the mother's body.

Compatibility test

Today, there is a specially designed test that can be used to determine the compatibility of partners for conception. It has a name - postcoital test. In order for the result of this test to be as truthful as possible, you need to adhere to the following rules, namely:

diagnosis must be carried out only during ovulation;
before performing the test, you need to refrain from sexual intercourse for several days;
before direct sexual intercourse, take a shower and wash well;
after intercourse, do not get out of bed for half an hour;
visit a gynecologist after 6 hours.

To determine the compatibility of a young couple for conception, the doctor takes a little mucus from the lower segment of the uterus, applies it to glass and examines it under an optical device, which has magnifying glass, which makes it possible to see objects that are indistinguishable with the naked eye and determines:

the degree of density;
crystallization;
extensibility;
pH Wednesday.

In addition, they also assess the mobility of male germ cells - sperm. There is a special scale from "A" to "G", which allows you to assess the degree of their mobility. The belonging of male spermatozoa to the degree "A" and "B" indicates good compatibility, but to "C" and "D" indicates its absence.

In the case of a prolonged non-onset of infertility, there is no need to despair, since medicine does not stand still and various kinds of research are developed and carried out every day to help the couple become parents. The most popular methods for solving this problem are intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization.

In a responsible and balanced approach to planning pregnancy and childbirth, future parents need to take into account not only the health of their bodies, but also many factors that can affect the health of the unborn baby. One of these factors is the incompatible blood types of future parents.

In medicine, the following are distinguished:

1 blood group - 0 (I).
- A (II).
- In (III).
- AB (IV).

Depending on whether the antigen, best known as, is present or absent on the surface of red blood cells, the blood can be either Rh-positive (Rh +) or Rh-negative (Rh-).

A person's blood group is a constant characteristic. It is due to genetic laws and does not change under the influence of external factors. possibly already from the third month of intrauterine development.

As a rule, most doctors deny the fact that future parents have incompatible blood groups for conceiving a child. The inability of a woman to fertilize, carry a pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby is more due to the immunological and genetic incompatibility of a man and a woman, as well as the production of a female body against a partner's sperm.

Incompatible blood groups of parents for pregnancy may be due to the Rh factor. This factor in planning pregnancy should not be neglected in any case.

For conception, Rh - antigen does not matter. Also, it does not affect the development and bearing of a baby if a woman becomes pregnant for the first time or she and her husband have Rh - a positive blood type.

Only in the case when, and the father of the unborn child has Rh positive, this can lead to incompatibility of the blood groups of the mother and the pregnant child, and, as a result, to the development of such a life-threatening condition for the baby as isoimmune conflict for the Rh factor , better known as pregnancy.

A conflict during pregnancy arises because the mother's Rh-negative blood reacts to the erythrocytes of the developing baby, on the membranes of which specific proteins are present, as if it were a foreign organism. As a result, antibodies directed against the fetus begin to actively develop in the female body.

The consequences of the Rh conflict for a pregnant woman can be irreversible and include:

in the threat of miscarriage in early pregnancy or premature birth;
in the formation of intraorgan edema in the fetus, which can lead to intrauterine growth retardation;
in the development of hemolytic disease in a newborn, characterized by the destruction () of its erythrocytes by the cells of the maternal blood, which continues to circulate in the child's body for some time after childbirth.

For the woman herself, the development of an autoimmune conflict does not pose any danger. She will feel good even if the developing fetus begins to suffer in utero.

Therefore, it is extremely important for pregnant women in whom antibodies were detected in the blood through the Coombs test to strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor who monitors the development of pregnancy, to donate blood for examination in a timely manner and not to neglect an ultrasound examination, since it is this that will help to identify the appearance of edema in the baby and the beginning of development hemolytic disease.

Are there always complications

If a woman with Rh negative factor becomes pregnant for the first time in her life, there are still no specific antibodies in her blood. Therefore, the pregnancy will proceed completely normal, and there will be no threat to the health and life of the unborn baby. Immediately after giving birth, she will be injected with anti-rhesus D serum, which will help stop the formation of these antibodies.

In addition, since antibodies in the blood of a Rh negative woman do not disappear anywhere over time, but on the contrary, their number only increases with each subsequent pregnancy, the introduction of this serum is indicated after each pregnancy, regardless of how it ends (childbirth, spontaneous or medication abortion).

If in the blood of a woman with negative Rh factor antibodies are already available, the administration of serum is strictly contraindicated.

Types of conflicts

There is also the concept of incompatible blood groups during pregnancy in the mother and child, which can also lead to the development of a conflict, but already according to the ABO system.

This type of complication is as common as Rh - incompatibility, but its consequences are less catastrophic. It can develop if the mother, that is, does not contain agglutinogens, and the child inherits any other group from the father, and accordingly his blood contains antigens A and B, both separately and together.

A conflict in the ABO system can develop even during the first pregnancy, but the fetus will not develop pathological conditions, and there will be no signs of anemia. But just as in the case of the Rh-conflict, in the first days after birth, the level of bilirubin in the child's blood will be significantly increased and to eliminate the manifestations of pathological jaundice in him, it will be necessary to carry out the same therapeutic measures as in the case of an isoimmune conflict according to Rh - factor.

The blood groups of him and the mother may still be incompatible for the birth of a child in the case when the expectant mother has a history of a disease such as thrombocytopenia, that is, a decrease in the number of platelets in her blood. In this case, the woman undergoes the formation of antibodies directed against the fetal platelets.

Conclusion

At the initial visit to the antenatal clinic, the expectant mother will initially receive a referral to donate blood to determine her blood group and Rh - accessories. In the case of the Rh (-) factor, her spouse will receive the same referral. If the Rh factors of future parents coincide, there will be no development of an autoimmune conflict.

In the case of various Rh factors of the spouses, the pregnancy will proceed under enhanced supervision by the gynecologist, in order to early determine the signs of the development of Rh-conflict during pregnancy between the mother and the fetus, as well as the growth of signs of hemolytic disease in the baby. If they are identified, the woman will need urgent hospitalization and specific treatment.

In no case should you be upset and refuse pregnancy and the birth of a baby if, for one reason or another, the blood groups of the future parents are incompatible.

Subject to careful medical observation of the development of pregnancy, adherence to all recommendations and prescriptions of the gynecologist, it is possible, if not avoided, then to minimize all the negative consequences caused by different types of blood of future parents. We hope you find out what are the incompatible blood types for pregnancy.

A mandatory analysis when planning a pregnancy is a blood sample that detects group and rhesus indicators. Both future parents are analyzed to identify compatibility or possible conflict. Incompatibility can be predicted both by the blood group parameter or the Rh factor, and in the aggregate of both indicators. The analysis allows you to calculate the percentage probability of complications of gestation and gives time to undergo treatment courses designed to overcome the possible consequences of a blood conflict.

The genetic parameters of the parents' blood form a set of genes for inheritance by the fetus that forms during conception.

The group and the Rh factor are constant throughout life, so a preliminary study before pregnancy allows you to identify possible conflicts in advance.

When planning a pregnancy, parents have the opportunity to calculate their blood compatibility options. If the percentage of the absence of any blood conflict is high, then for future parents, conception and pregnancy will proceed as usual.

What is incompatibility

Incompatibility is a conflict between the mother's body and the fertilized egg, manifests itself from the moment of conception in the reaction of the mother's body to the embryo as to a foreign object. The mother's reproductive system teams up with the immune system in the fight against the embryo and tries to deprive it of life support, eventually getting rid of it.

The classification of blood groups into the first, second, third and fourth is based on indicators of the content of agglutinins in plasma and agglutinogens in erythrocytes. The Rh factor is the presence (positive) or absence (negative) of an antigen protein on the membrane of red blood cells, the most common of which is type D antigen.

When happens

if the blood group of the mother does not coincide with that of the fetus
in the situation of a Rh-negative mother who is pregnant with a Rh-positive child.

Anti-D-immunoglobulin

It is a prophylactic drug necessary to stop the production of antibodies by the maternal body that fight against the Rh-positive embryo. The introduction of the drug allows you to maintain pregnancy and prevent possible pathologies of the mother and child.

The use of immunoglobulin is prescribed by the doctor on an individual basis and implies:

monthly examinations for up to 30 weeks
every two weeks for a period of 30 to 36 weeks
once a week for a period of 36 weeks before delivery.

Also, the prophylactic introduction of antiresus is carried out immediately after childbirth, which helps to prevent conflict in possible future pregnancies.

Is pregnancy and childbirth possible

Modern medical technologies make it possible to preserve pregnancy in any conflict.

The greatest help is the planning of conception, since the attending physician is aware of the risks of incompatibility in advance, which allows him to choose a scheme for preliminary treatment and subsequent management of pregnancy. In the period of gestation, the problem of incompatibility concentrates on measures to prevent the mother's immune response to the fetus.

During childbirth, incompatibility translates into health problems in the baby, which the neonatologist deals with after birth.

Dangerous moments

The greatest danger to the fetus is the Rh-conflict. The maternal organism regards the antigen protein as a microorganism that carries a threat, and directs the activity of all systems to produce antibodies. They expose the fetus to an attack that is designed to get rid of it as soon as possible, which often ends in the fading of pregnancy, the death of the embryo and miscarriage.

With incompatibility between the mother and the fetus, the most dangerous developmental option is hemolytic disease of the embryo, which leads to an abnormal increase in the size of the child's liver, jaundice, and developmental delay due to insufficient blood supply to the brain.

Blood type or Rh factor is more important for pregnancy

It is impossible to choose the only important factor, because the incompatibility of partners for a healthy pregnancy cannot be accurately predicted, whether it is possible to assess the likelihood of conflict. The strictest medical control is required when an Rh-negative mother is pregnant with a Rh-positive child.

However, the conflict between the blood groups of the mother and the fetus is more difficult to track, since it occurs in the first days after conception. Then a miscarriage may occur, which will pass unnoticed for the couple (like another menstruation) and will not give information about what happened for further planning of pregnancy.

Same blood groups: compatibility

When a couple with the same blood groups are planning a pregnancy, the baby is protected from incompatibility.

When the parental blood groups match, the fetus has several inheritance options, but all of them are safe and fully compatible.

The only obstacle to successful conception can be only the Rh factor of partners, which must be monitored even at the stage of pregnancy planning.

I + I

Parents with the first blood groups transfer to the gene pool of future children a set of proteins only for this group. This means that the child will definitely inherit the first group.

II + II

Parents with second blood groups have a chance of conceiving both a child with the same blood group and with the first. In the first case, the probability of inheriting the second blood group is 94%, the first - only 6%. In both cases, there will be no conflict.

III + III

Parents with third blood groups are 94% likely to pass it on to their child. However, there is a 6% chance of conceiving a fetus in the first group.

IV + IV

The largest range of possible blood groups of a future infant is in partners with fourth blood groups. Such couples can also conceive a child with the fourth group in 50% of cases, with the second - in 25%, with the third - in 25%.

Rh-conflict probability: incompatibility table

Rh incompatibility occurs only when the negative mother's Rh comes into conflict with the positive one in the child. Maternal blood, which does not contain the antigen protein, perceives the blood of the embryo as hostile due to the presence of the D antigen on its red blood cells. Such a Rh-conflict is fraught with rejection of the fetus already in the very early stages of pregnancy.

In cases where miscarriage does not occur, during the period of gestation, the embryo is constantly attacked by the immune cells of the mother's body, which provokes the development of jaundice, anemia, dropsy in the child.

Which group is it difficult for a woman to get pregnant with

The process of fertilization of an egg with a sperm cell is not directly related to the characteristics of the blood of each of the parents. Conception occurs or not according to its own laws, separately diagnosed by the doctor and does not build a forecast for the course of gestation. The difficulties of pregnancy are associated only with the gradually developing incompatibility of partners, which is revealed already during the course of pregnancy.

First negative

A woman's negative blood group has the most limited number of safe pregnancy options. First, a negative Rh is picky about that of a partner. Secondly, group I, which does not have protein tags, will conflict with male II, III, and IV, producing antibodies to proteins A, B, and AB, respectively. A healthy pregnancy without worries about any incompatibility for women with I negative blood is promised by a partner who has exactly the same group.

In addition, repeated studies of women tested at the age of 35 have shown that it is the owners of group I who have increased levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, which indicates a quick depletion of the ovarian reserve.

Second negative

It has an antigen of type A, which indicates a possible conflict with the blood of men of groups III and IV. Rhesus positive in a partner can aggravate a planned pregnancy.

Third negative

Statistically, the most rare blood group, therefore, prediction of conception and pregnancy is purely individual in nature. It contains type B protein, therefore, for easy fertilization and gestation, it requires a negative partner with group I or III.

Fourth negative

A rare blood group, with which the largest number of guesses and calculations are associated, based more on rumors and superstitions than on scientific facts. In fact, the IV group has AB tags, which makes it perfectly compatible with any partner's blood group. A negative rhesus requires a standard for all groups to account for a man's rhesus and therapy in the case of a positive spouse.

A positive group in a woman

Women with a positive blood group may not be afraid of Rh-conflict. The presence of a protein antigen in their blood makes it possible to conceive and bear a child with any Rh factor inherited from both parents without any problems.

This happens due to the fact that the body, which first encountered the antigen, will try with all its might to overcome it and remove it from its blood system.

In the blood of a positive Rh factor, the protein is already present and is easily recognized by the mother's body in the embryo, if any. If the fetus inherits a negative Rh, then the mother's immunity simply has nothing to react to, the pregnancy is going well.

A positive blood type in a man

In the case of a male positive rhesus, a strict comparison with the group and rhesus of the mother is necessary. The presence of Rhesus will not affect pregnancy if the partner is also Rh positive. If the maternal organism is unfamiliar with the Rh antigen, then possible fertilization with the development of a positive blood group in the fetus will lead to the provoking of rejection (miscarriage) by the womb.

Therefore, future fathers still need to prepare for pregnancy to make an analysis that clarifies the group and Rhesus (even in the case of complete confidence in their knowledge), so that in case of incompatibility it would be possible to take precautions in advance.

Different blood groups of parents: compatibility chart

Father's blood type	Mother's blood type	Child's blood type	Conflict probability
The first	The second	First or second	0%
The first	Third	First or third	0%
The first	Fourth	Second or third	0%
The second	The first	First or second	50%
The second	Third	Any of the four	25%
The second	Fourth		0%
Third	The first	First or third	50%
Third	The second	Any of the four	50%
Third	Fourth		0%
Fourth	The first	Second or third	100%
Fourth	The second	First or second or fourth	≈66%
Fourth	Third	First or third or fourth	≈66%

The table shows data on the probabilistic incompatibility of the mother's blood group with the embryo's blood group, based on the data on the groups of both parents. So, pregnancy is complicated in cases where the child's group is different from the mother's group. At the stage of pregnancy planning, an accurate forecast of the group of the future embryo with different blood groups of the parents is impossible, therefore the consequences of the conflict are neutralized already during gestation.

The most common of these is the hemolytic disease of the baby, which provokes jaundice and increases the level of bilirubin. The most severe hemolytic disease occurs when the mother's first blood group conflicts with the second or third fetus.

Does a negative Rh factor play a role for men?

The absence of rhesus in the blood of a man does not affect the course of pregnancy. If the mother of the child is also Rh negative, then the fetus inherits it from both parents and is not a carrier of an unfamiliar protein for the mother's womb. If the mother has a positive rhesus, then the child can inherit both the presence of rhesus and the absence, which in any case is also not regarded by the mother's body as a threat to the immune system.

How to get pregnant for a married couple with incompatibility

The greatest difficulties in getting pregnant are faced by couples with different groups of mother and father in options such as I + II, I + III and II + III. With this ratio, a fertilized egg can be rejected by the mother's body within 3-4 days, so the woman does not have time to notice the pregnancy. To avoid miscarriage, a pre-planned constant ultrasound monitoring of ovulation and fertilization is necessary.

It is impossible to maintain pregnancy with blood group I in the mother and IV in the father, since possible II or III blood groups of the embryo will be perceived by the maternal immune system as hostile. In this case, surrogacy technologies and the expectation of other innovations in medicine come to the aid of parents.

Partner analysis to determine compatibility

As a rule, the initial stage of testing for compatibility involves determining the main indicators of partners in the clinic. Based on the data, a forecast is made about a possible conflict between groups or Rh factors. At this stage, the analysis indicators provide information only about probabilistic incompatibility, which may not occur. If, during pregnancy, the fact of incompatibility between the fetus and the mother's body is confirmed, then the necessary drug therapy is selected individually by the doctor.

Solving the problem in the presence of a blood conflict

Modern medicine offers several different in essence options for maintaining pregnancy with any type of incompatibility. Timely examination at the planning stage and regular visits to the doctor leading the pregnancy can minimize the risks of complications.

Plasmapheresis

The procedure for purifying the mother's blood plasma from antibodies and its possible replacement with sterile or vitamin solutions. Plasmapheresis is carried out at different stages:

When planning a pregnancy to cleanse the body of toxins and antibodies;
At the initial detection of Rh-conflict, when the replacement of about 30% of plasma with saline or albumin solution makes the development of the embryo safe;
With a sharp increase in the level of antibodies in the mother's blood, diagnosed at any stage of pregnancy.

Blood transfusion

It is a process of blood transfusion to the fetus inside the womb for a period of 22 weeks. At the same time, the blood is taken from the same group as from the child, and is necessarily Rh-negative. The procedure is performed through the umbilical cord vein under ultrasound control and is designed to stop the child's rejection by the maternal immune system.

The main indications for transfusion are:

Polyhydramnios;
Detection of fluid in a child by ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or an enlarged liver;
Thickening of the placenta;
Change in the diameter of the umbilical veins.

Stimulation of labor

If, when a blood conflict is detected, the antibodies are low, then natural childbirth is preferred. Stimulation of labor or the appointment of a cesarean section requires constant medical supervision in hospitalization. The amount of antigens is measured twice a day, and if the normal level is significantly exceeded, labor is triggered immediately. In this case, the treatment of a newborn from the possible consequences of a conflict with maternal blood is carried out after childbirth.

Forecast for bearing a child

The developments of modern medicine offer more and more innovations in the field of reproductive medicine - precise equipment, analyzes of necessary samples, IVF procedures, etc.

Timely selection by the doctor of a set of means to neutralize parental incompatibility can guarantee the desired pregnancy.

Numerous treatment options based on the artificial introduction of immunoglobulin into the mother's body are designed to avoid the fading of pregnancy or miscarriage. This procedure allows you to preserve the pregnancy and ease its course.

With a diagnosed parental blood conflict, it is necessary to strictly follow the examination plan and strictly follow medical recommendations.

The incompatibility of partners can lie both in psychological reasons, and be predicted in advance using analyzes at the stage of preparation for conception. About 15% of couples are faced with the problem of the impossibility of a successful pregnancy due to the Rh-conflict of partners. However, early treatment monitoring and a responsible approach to the necessary procedures provide a high chance of a healthy pregnancy.

Useful video on the topic

In contact with

When the issue of conceiving a child is of great importance, especially if it has not been possible to become pregnant for a long time, many couples turn to specialists. In fact, a family planning office should be visited from the start. The examination will help determine all the factors of compatibility between parents so that the baby is born healthy. Blood group compatibility for conception is especially important.

What effect does group compatibility have for conception?

The membrane of human erythrocytes contains many antigens, which are protein or carbohydrate molecules. Antibodies can form in the blood serum to these antigens. By binding to antigens, antibodies cause the destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis). More than 4 dozen antigenic systems are known, but the most famous are the AB0 systems and the Rh factor, it is he who influences the success of bearing a child. All doctors agree that the main influence on the fact of conception is played by the state of health of the parents, and stories about the incompatibility of certain blood groups, which leads to the impossibility of getting pregnant, are a myth.

If partners, despite unprotected intercourse, do not conceive at the time of ovulation, this indicates not the incompatibility of the groups, but the presence of serious diseases, often of the reproductive system. Common ones are:

diseases of the genitourinary system, provoked by infection;
diseases of the thyroid gland, endocrine system;
obstruction of the fallopian tubes, other similar pathologies;
problems with sperm motility in men, others.

As for infectious diseases of the genitourinary system, both spouses have them at once, therefore, treatment is prescribed for both husband and wife. In other cases, therapy may be needed only by one of the partners.

Of course, genetic inheritance is an important factor in determining the possibility of normal development of a child, so many women are worried about blood group compatibility. But, as already mentioned, the compatibility of the parents for the Rh factor of the blood affects the conception and full development of the embryo.

What you need to know before conceiving

The main thing to know is which group both partners have. In addition to the analysis for its determination, it is also recommended to go to a study for antibodies to the Rh factor. The following describes in more detail in which cases the Rh-conflict can occur, which interferes with the bearing of a healthy child.

Also, every expectant mother needs to find out more information about such facts:

In some cases, problems may arise not only due to Rh factors, but also as a result of differences in the group itself: a woman has a second, a man has a third / fourth; a woman has a third, a man has a second / fourth.
According to statistics, the owners of the fourth group have the most problems with bearing a fetus, so they are usually under the special supervision of a doctor.
The ability to conceive decreases not only due to incompatibility in blood group, it can also be affected by diseases of the small pelvis, fibroids, cysts, and other neoplasms.

To prevent the occurrence of possible problems, it is recommended that you visit a gynecologist, family planning office before conception.

Blood group compatibility table - I, II, III, IV

Many couples strive to find out the blood group of the future baby, this can be done without waiting for his birth, and earlier than the sex of the child on an ultrasound scan. To do this, it is enough to know the groups of both parents in order to predict the blood group of the future baby with a certain accuracy.

The table below helps you determine the combination of different parent groups with each other:


I positive and negative	I	I and II	I and III	II, III
II positive and negative	I and II	I and II	I, II, III, IV	II, III, IV
III positive and negative	I and III	I, II, III, IV	I, III	II, III, IV
IV positive and negative	II, III	II, III, IV	II, III, IV	II, III, IV

It can be seen from the table that when the groups of the parents are the same (except for 4), then the child will either have exactly the same, or 1, if they are different, he may have one of them, maybe a completely different one. In some cases, for example, when parents have 2 and 3 groups, children can have absolutely any group.

Rhesus conflict during conception

Rh-conflict is a serious problem that can be an obstacle to pregnancy or the successful bearing of a fetus. It occurs when a woman has a negative Rh factor, and a man has a positive one, while the fetus acquires a positive gene from the dad.

To understand what is happening in the female body, why it rejects the fetus, you need to have a shallow knowledge of genetics. When the erythrocytes of the embryo carry antigen proteins related to the positive Rh factor (Rh +), the mother's body perceives the baby's red blood cells as foreign bodies and develops antibodies to them. These antibodies bind to antigens on the surface of red blood cells and destroy them.

However, the first pregnancy most often proceeds normally, because the circulatory circles of the fetus and mother are normally isolated from each other. Only during childbirth does the mixing of the blood of the mother and the child occur - then the sensitization of the mother's body occurs, and the production of antibodies begins. By the next pregnancy, antibodies to Rh-positive red blood cells are already circulating in the maternal blood. Their peculiarity is that they are able to penetrate the blood of the fetus and destroy its red blood cells.

Consider how the Rh factor is inherited.

Mother's Rh factor	Father's Rh factor
Mother's Rh factor	Rh + (DD)	Rh + (Dd)	Rh- (dd)
Rh + (DD)	Rh + (DD) - 100%	Rh + (DD) - 50% Rh + (Dd) - 50%	Rh + (Dd) - 100%
Rh + (Dd)	Rh + (DD) - 50% Rh + (Dd) - 50%	Rh + (DD) - 25% Rh + (Dd) - 50% Rh- (dd) - 25%	Rh + (Dd) - 50% Rh- (dd) - 50%
Rh- (dd)	Rh + (Dd) - 100%	Rh + (Dd) - 50% Rh- (dd) - 50%	Rh- (dd) - 100%

The cases when Rh-conflict occurs are highlighted.

As you can see from the table, even if both parents are carriers of a positive Rh factor, this is not a guarantee that they will not have a Rh negative child.

Important! Some partners do not know their Rh factor, do not even suspect the consequences of their negligent attitude towards the issue of conception. Doctors urge everyone to find out the peculiarities of their blood group, doing this not only during transfusion in a critical situation, but in advance.

The consequences of the Rh conflict for the fetus

Hemolytic disease of the fetus is an inevitable consequence of the Rh-conflict during conception. If the embryo managed to survive, serious changes begin to occur with it. The mother's body continues to intensively produce antibodies, when they enter the bloodstream of the fetus, binding to its Rh-positive erythrocytes, the latter are destroyed. This happens in the spleen of the unborn child, the newborn has an enlarged spleen.

Hemoglobin is released from the destroyed erythrocytes, which, decaying, through several successive transformations turns into bilirubin. It is the high content of yellow bilirubin in the blood, organs and tissues that causes the yellow color of the child's skin - this disease is called hemolytic jaundice of newborns.

Bilirubin is neurotoxic, it is able to affect both the cortex and the subcortical structures of the brain. Delayed consequences may be paralysis, hearing impairment, mental retardation.

Also, due to the breakdown of erythrocytes, their number in the blood decreases, the child develops hemolytic anemia. Since there are few red blood cells that carry oxygen, the tissues of the fetus and newborn suffer from a lack of oxygen - hypoxia and intrauterine growth retardation of the fetus occur.

There are three main forms of hemolytic disease in a newborn:

Anemic. The easiest option. The main symptom is excessively pale skin, enlarged liver and spleen. In the blood, erythrocytes and hemoglobin are reduced. It is treated with blood transfusion. Usually, no serious health problems arise in the future.
Icteric. In addition to anemia, there is jaundice, enlarged liver, spleen. The skin may turn intense yellow or even tan. The amniotic fluid can be colored yellow. Reflexes in newborns are reduced, they are lethargic, and suck poorly. Requires urgent treatment.
Edematous. Most severe form. Massive intrauterine destruction of red blood cells leads to severe anemia, hypoxia, metabolic disorders, tissue edema. The fetus dies before birth or is born in an extremely serious condition with widespread edema. The skin is very pale and shiny. The child is lethargic, reflexes are depressed, severe heart and respiratory failure, a strong increase in the liver and spleen, a large, barrel-shaped abdomen.

Important! When registering a pregnant woman, it is necessary to determine the blood group and Rh factor of the mother and father to identify the risk of Rh conflict. It is possible to recognize hemolytic disease in the early stages, if it is timely carried out on an ultrasound scan with a mandatory study of the placental blood flow, at least 3 times to do a blood test for the concentration of anti-rsus antibodies, consultations with the attending physician are required.

Rhesus factors suitable for each other

The most optimal for successful conception are the same Rh factors in partners, and it does not matter what group they have. For example, 2 positive and 3 positive are perfectly combined, with conception, fetal development, there can be no problems associated with blood incompatibility.

Problems arise when a combination of 1 negative and 1 positive, and if negative - in a woman. As described above, it all depends on whose gene the fetus will acquire, if the paternal, positive, then a Rh conflict will occur.

You can determine the Rh factor in most clinics by donating blood from a finger. You can also purchase a special test sold at pharmacies. The package usually contains an applicator, containers for blood, special solutions. Doctors advise not to use such tests without having special skills, but to go to the laboratory.

Incompatibility between the organisms of the mother and the fetus can arise due to different Rh factors, when a Rh conflict occurs. Its consequences for the child can be different: the embryo can die in utero, or be born with a certain form of hemolytic disease. There is a chance that an absolutely healthy baby will be born. In any case, every couple is advised to contact a family planning center before planning conception.

There are four blood groups according to the AB0 system... This is due to the presence or absence of antigens in it. Antigens found in erythrocytes (red cells) are called agglutinogens.

Reference! Agglutinogen is a protein compound that identifies foreign substances (for a specific organism) and interacts with antibodies. Plasma antigens (liquid part of blood) are agglutinins.

Agglutinin is a protein substance that performs the agglutination reaction of blood cells, bacteria and other antigens, and is involved in the immune response. Agglutinogens are of two types and are labeled with capital letters A and B.

Group I does not carry agglutinogens. It is denoted by 0 or "zero";
II Group denoted A because it contains this type of agglutinogen;
III Group includes agglutinogen B, and has the same name;
IV Group contains both agglutinogens and is signed as AB.

Agglutinins are also of two types. They are designated by small letters alpha (a) and beta (b).

Group I includes both agglutinins - a and b;
II Group contains agglutinin b;
III Group carries agglutinin a;
IV Group does not carry agglutinins.

Different blood groups differ by the combination of erythrocyte and plasma antigens, and we will consider their effect on conception further.

Do their combinations affect conception and pregnancy?

Representatives of the beautiful half of humanity often ask questions: “What blood groups are compatible and suitable for each other, for which type the probability of conceiving a child is higher, is it possible to get pregnant if they have the same blood with their husband, is it possible when one spouse has the first or third positive , and the second - the second or fourth negative, is there a group with which it is difficult to get pregnant, when a woman should not terminate a pregnancy? "

You can get pregnant and have children with any blood group... Various combinations of parental blood groups do not in any way affect their reproductive system, partner compatibility, conception and pregnancy.

The probability of conception is determined by many factors, here are some of them:

The health status of the spouses.
Fertility of partners.
The phase of a woman's menstrual cycle when unprotected intercourse has taken place.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), some systemic diseases, as well as bad habits negatively affect the reproductive system of both partners. Fertility in relation to a man determines his ability to fertilize an egg. It comes from the moment the production of motile and live spermatozoa begins.

Female fertility (the ability to conceive and carry a child) begins when menstruation is established. but optimal reproductive age - 22-35 yearswhen a girl is psychologically ready for motherhood and is able to undergo hormonal changes in the body associated with pregnancy.

Reference! Ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary) occurs only once a month. Its viability is 12-24 hours. The viability of sperm in a woman's body is 3-5 days, rarely up to a week. This time will be the most successful for conceiving a child.

Is there an incompatibility between parents?

There is a myth that the development of incompatibility during conception is possible in cases where one parent has agglutinogens in the blood, and the other has the corresponding agglutinins, for example, A and a or B and b.

It is important to take these indicators into account when blood transfusion, in order to avoid its intravascular coagulation. These factors do not affect the probability of conception of a child, intrauterine development of the fetus, as well as the course of pregnancy, for any blood group.

Termination of pregnancy and Rh factor

When terminating a pregnancy, it is important to consider not the group, but the Rh-affiliation.

The Rh factor is a protein antigen. If it is present, it indicates a positive Rh factor, a negative Rh indicates its absence. Abortion always poses a certain risk to the female body. Especially if a woman has a negative Rh, subsequently she may remain infertile, the likelihood of a Rh conflict or the birth of a still child increases.

If the pregnant woman has a negative rhesus, and the child is positive, then the woman's body can begin to secrete anti-rhesus antibodies to foreign antigens. During the first pregnancy, very few of them are produced, and the girl bears and gives birth to an absolutely healthy child.

With an abortion, the body becomes sensitized (increased sensitivity and accumulation of antibodies)... In the next pregnancy (if the child's Rh is also positive), repeated contact with foreign proteins occurs, which is almost always accompanied by an active release of specific anti-Rh antibodies.

What is hemolytic disease of the newborn?

A disease characterized by the pathology of erythrocytes, with their accelerated destruction and the release of indirect bilirubin. This condition is associated with an immunological (antigen-antibody) reaction of the blood of the child and the mother. Most often, hemolytic disease of the fetus develops with Rh-conflict (usually manifests itself in the second or third pregnancy).

Important! It happens that a woman has a positive Rh, but an immunological reaction develops - this means that there has been a conflict over other antigenic systems. In any case, the conflict between the mother and the fetus develops after the previous sensitization of the woman's body.

Where did the information about the problems of conception in partners come from?

There is a lot of information on the Internet about the incompatibility of partners during conception for various reasons: according to the ABO blood group and the Rh factor. And if everything is clear with the last blood count from the above explanations, then even gynecologists have not heard about the problems of conceiving a child and pregnancy due to different groups, whether it is 1 or 2 positive in men, 3 or 4 negative in women.

This information is likely a distorted version of various physiological processes in the human body. Therefore, if there are doubts when planning due to ABO belonging, or there are real difficulties with conceiving a baby, it is better to consult an obstetrician on this issue, and once and for all dispel your doubts.

When are couples incompatible?

If a married couple, who have been having a regular sex life for a long time, still cannot conceive a child, they should think about immunological incompatibility. This type of incompatibility can be characterized as a negative reaction of the female body to the partner's sperm. That is, in case of immunological incompatibility, a woman's immunity perceives sperm as foreign antigens, and produces antisperm antibodies that prevent fertilization.

Antibodies can appear not only in the female body. They are also found in semen. In large numbers, they are capable of destroying sperm, making fertilization of a woman impossible. If the sperm manages to survive and reach the ovum, there is a threat of fetal pathology or miscarriage. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, both partners need to be tested.

Aristotle believed that the genes and external characteristics inherited by a child at conception come not only from mom and dad, but also from all men with whom a woman had sex before pregnancy, the first sexual partner is especially important. This the theory of inheritance of traits from all sexual partners was called "Telegonia".

Supporters of this idea note that there were cases when a woman and a man of the Caucasian race had a child with a dark skin color. At the same time, the girl had previously met with a Negroid man, but had no pregnancies from him. Science explains this by the manifestation of a recessive gene from distant ancestors.

Inherited metrics tables

Some parents are surprised by their child's blood type. Sometimes she is different from the group of both the father and the mother, which gives rise to conflict situations in a young family that is not familiar with the laws of Mendel's inheritance.

Australian scientist Gregor Mendel found out that from each parent the baby receives one gene... So, one gene from a pair will be from his mother, and the second from his father. Genes are dominant and recessive. Dominant genes always appear, while recessive genes are stored in the genotype, but they appear only when two recessive genes are combined in one pair.

According to the AB0 system, the dominant genes are A and B, recessive 0. That is, if one parent has group I (0), and the other II (A) or III (B), the child at conception will inherit the genotype A0 or B0 and the second or third groups. In the table, we will consider all possible options from the first negative to the fourth positive blood groups for conceiving a child and the likelihood of conflict:

Dad mom	The first	The second	Third	Fourth
The first	I (100%)	I (50%) II (50%)	I (50%) III (50%)	II (50%) III (50%)
The second	I (50%) II (50%)	I (25%) II (75%)	I (25%) II (25%) III (25%) IV (25%)	II (50%) III (25%) IV (25%)
Third	I (50%) III (50%)	I (25%) II (25%) III (25%) IV (25%)	I (25%) III (75%)	II (25%) III (50%) IV (25%)
Fourth	II (50%) III (50%)	II (50%) III (25%) IV (25%)	II (25%) III (50%) IV (25%)	II (25%) III (25%) IV (50%)

From this table it is clear that the blood type of the child does not necessarily have to match the group of one or both parents.

It is also possible to determine the likelihood of a child inheriting a rhesus factor. Rh positive dominates over negative rhesus. There are three types of Rh genotype: DD, Dd, dd. If at least one parent has the DD genotype, the child will inherit Rh positive. If the Rh-positive parent has the genotype Dd, the child can have both a positive and a negative Rh factor.

Pregnancy and parental blood types are an important issue that a young family should consider. At the first visit to the antenatal clinic, the pregnant woman donates blood to determine the group and Rh affiliation.

In the case of various Rh factors of the spouses, pregnancy will take place under the increased attention of the antenatal clinic. it increased attention will help to identify the likelihood of risk of conflicts on the Rh factor and will be the key to a successful pregnancy.

Useful video

We suggest you watch a video about the Rh factor when planning a pregnancy: