Influence of blood type on pregnancy. Parents-to-be: important about the Rh factor and the characteristics of blood groups

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 the future parents.

In medicine, the following are distinguished:

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

Depending on whether the antigen is present or absent on the surface of erythrocytes, 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 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 the 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, like a foreign organism. As a result, the female body begins to actively develop antibodies directed against the fetus.

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 a 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 their 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 will help to identify the appearance of edema in the baby and the onset 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 a woman with a negative Rh factor already has antibodies in the blood, the administration of serum is strictly contraindicated.

Types of conflicts

There is also the concept of incompatible blood groups during pregnancy in a mother and a 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.


Still incompatible for the birth of a child may be the blood groups of him and the mother 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 type 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 the increased supervision of 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 appointments 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.

At first all blood groups are present in the fetus. They are presented in different percentages. If the spouses have the same indicator, then the child will inherit their group.

Negative blood type during pregnancy can lead to conflict between mother and fetus

The exception is only 2% of newborns who have a group different from the parent.

The baby will be healthier and less prone to diseases if the husband's blood type is higher than that of his wife. For example, a woman has I, and a man has any other

With different indicators of parents, a child can have any group. Doctors give only a 25% guarantee that it will match the mother's or father's. Although, according to statistics, in most cases, the baby receives the mother's group.

Incompatibility of parents by blood group

Blood type during pregnancy is important. The blood of different groups has biochemical characteristics that are determined by the structure of proteins. If the parents have different groups, then their incompatibility may arise. 25% of pregnant women face this problem.

Doctors consider the IV female blood group the most favorable, since it is combined with any male group. There are no complications even when the father has a blood group I. In other cases, the situation looks like this:

  • Mom has the first group. Ideally, the future dad should have the same. The most risky blood group, the most likely immunological conflict with the IV group. But it is possible with both II and III.
  • Second. Compatible with I and II. Problems can arise with III and IV.
  • Third. It is good if the spouse has I or III group. But II and IV can cause conflict.

The sooner a woman registers, the more chances to prevent pathology. Compliance with all the doctor's recommendations will lead to a favorable birth.

Why is a negative blood group dangerous during pregnancy?

Don't forget about the Rh factor. This is the name of the surface protein found on erythrocytes. However, not everyone has it; 25% of people do not have it. It is believed that they have this indicator is negative.

A danger to the development and life of the fetus can arise if the woman has negative blood, and the unborn child has positive

With the Rh-conflict, the body of the expectant mother begins to produce antibodies that perceive the child's blood as foreign. Red blood cells are destroyed. This provokes the destruction of hemoglobin, resulting in the formation of a toxic substance - bilirubin.

The first pregnancy with a negative blood group is less dangerous, since the mother's body has not yet developed antibodies. The second is causing great concern. The death of red blood cells can lead to hypoxia, hemolytic disease, which manifests itself in the form of jaundice in newborns, anemia in the first year of life. A high concentration of bilirubin causes encephalopathy. It is characterized by retarded mental development, impaired speech, coordination of movements.

In such cases, a woman should donate venous blood for analysis. Until the 32nd week, this must be done every month, until the 35th week - twice a month, and then - weekly

Only then will the gynecologist be able to analyze the concentration of antibodies and notice the "blood feud" in the early stages.

The situation can be corrected with the help of special drugs, preventive vaccination. If the child was nevertheless born with an illness, then phototherapy is prescribed to him - a procedure that allows you to reduce the amount of bilirubins. In extreme cases, the baby is given a blood transfusion.

Today, more and more young families are faced with the problem of infertility. The reasons why spouses fail to achieve pregnancy can be different. In 30% of cases, wine problems are in the female body, in another 30% - male diseases, but in 10-15% of all infertile couples, the effect is incompatibility during conception.

Symptoms

If both participants in the process of conception are healthy, have systematic sexual relations, do not use contraceptives, but at the same time a woman cannot become pregnant for a long time, then they should consult a doctor.

Incompatibility of partners during conception has the following signs:

  • The absence of pregnancy in a woman for a year or more, subject to regular sexual intercourse without the use of contraceptives.
  • Constant miscarriages, which usually occur in the first trimester of pregnancy, when a woman often does not even know about her situation.
  • Intrauterine death of a child or the birth of an unviable baby.

Sexual contradiction during conception is influenced by immunological or genetic disorders. To find out the cause of this problem, you need to consult a doctor, do the necessary test and analysis. After diagnostics and a series of examinations, a course of treatment will be prescribed.

Immunological incompatibility

This problem manifests itself in the fact that the woman's body secretes antibodies to her husband's sperm, which block them and prevent them from performing their function. This is a kind of allergy in a woman to a man's ejaculate. In some cases, the production of antibodies in a man against his own sperm.

Doctors believe that the presence of antibodies to the spouse's sperm in female representatives is directly related to previous sexual diseases and infections, as well as to the number of different sexual partners. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, a couple must definitely pass a compatibility test or analysis.

By blood type

A positive course of pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby often occurs in those parents who have favorable blood group compatibility for conceiving their first child. For this, you can do a special test.

There is an opinion that those spouses who have a higher blood group of a man than a girl have more chances of getting pregnant. For example, the father has the second blood group, and the expectant mother has the first. But such a theory has not been medically proven.

Also, a positive tendency towards successful fertilization takes place when parents are carriers of different groups, but at the same time the same Rh factor (positive or negative).

In cases where the blood group is the same, but the Rhesus is different, it may be difficult to conceive a healthy child.

A man with a third negative and a woman with a second negative have every chance of giving birth to a healthy child. Moreover, he will have a negative blood group.

Rh factor mismatch

At its core, the Rh factor is a special protein that is located on human erythrocytes. Most (about 80%) of people have these proteins, that is, they have a positive Rh factor. The remaining 20% ​​are Rh negative. It is known that the Rh factor is formed at 7-8 weeks of fetal development and does not change throughout life.

If a woman is Rh negative and a man is Rh positive, complications may occur during pregnancy. Up to a miscarriage.

For a successful pregnancy, both spouses must have the same blood Rh factor: either negative, or positive or positive for a woman and either for a father. If the rhesus does not match, this can cause various problems both during the birth of a new life and during pregnancy, as well as immediately after childbirth. Therefore, an analysis to determine the rhesus of blood is a mandatory item when planning a pregnancy.

Genetic incompatibility

This type of mismatch of a couple can lead to the birth of a child with genetic abnormalities or various kinds of diseases. The causes of genetic incompatibility in parents can be:

  • The presence of any genetic diseases in one of the spouses, which are inherited.
  • If the age of the future parents is over 35 years old.
  • Partners are blood relatives.
  • The unfavorable ecology of the area and other reasons also affect.

Fortunately, complete genetic inconsistency is extremely rare, and modern medicine successfully learns to deal with partial incompatibility. Such couples are under the special control of doctors and are carefully monitored from the first days of pregnancy. They pass a special test and take an analysis, the result of which is entered into a special table.

Treatment

If a couple turned to doctors for help in time, then the right treatment can help them soon become happy parents. To overcome the problem of immunological inconsistency of spouses, doctors most often give the following recommendations for action:

  • It is necessary to use contraceptives for some time in order to reduce the severity of the reaction of the female body to male sperm.
  • It is necessary to undergo treatment with antihistamines.
  • You also need to take immunostimulants.
  • Sometimes the immunological mismatch can be circumvented by intrauterine sperm injection.

Immunological inconsistency is not a sentence. Even in this situation, there is still a chance to become pregnant and bear a healthy child, but there may already be problems with subsequent attempts at pregnancy.

Compatibility tests

Couples who have been unable to become pregnant for a long time should consult a doctor and undergo a compatibility test for conception. They need to take a blood test and undergo a diagnostic examination. You also need to take a post-coital test. It is recommended to do this research within 6-8 hours after unprotected intercourse, since male sperm cells must be present in the laboratory materials of a woman's cervical mucus. The test is best done during ovulation.

So, for the conception and birth of a healthy child, you need to prepare in advance. Necessary:

  • Undergo examination and diagnostics.
  • Pass all required analyzes and tests.
  • Determine the Rh factor in parents (negative or positive).
  • Find out the presence or absence of blood compatibility for conception.
  • Be examined for the presence of antibodies in a woman's body.
  • Get tested for genetic diseases in both partners.

Even if the test shows the inconsistency of the parents in at least one indicator, do not despair. It must be remembered that the main factor for a successful pregnancy is the sincere love of partners, as well as a great desire to have a child.

Doctors keep records of couples who have found incompatibility. A special table is compiled into which the data of analyzes and tests are entered. She is constantly checked and monitored. If necessary, the couple is prescribed medication, which gives a chance to conceive and bear a healthy child.

When planning a pregnancy, expectant parents are advised to pass tests in advance to determine their blood groups and Rh factor, in order to avoid possible conflict and complications during conception. Even if they did not do this, then, as soon as the expectant mother comes to the first appointment at the antenatal clinic, she will still be sent to do a lot of tests. And one of them will be the determination of the group and Rh-affiliation of the partners' blood.

A child can become the owner of any of the blood groups, since during conception, four groups are formed simultaneously. The largest percentage is taken by the blood of the parents. If the parents have the same group, then, in almost all cases, the baby will have the same group.

Details about the inheritance of a child's blood groups from parents:

The main thing about the Rh factor. What is "Rh-conflict" in partners and its effect on the fetus

Gynecologists are sure that the influence of the blood group on conception is not so important as the Rh factor of the parents. It is desirable that future parents have the same entry in the cards in the "Rh factor" column, this will help to avoid problems that, otherwise, may arise both during conception and during pregnancy and even after the birth of a baby.

Therefore, if it became known in advance that the values ​​of the Rh factor in partners do not coincide, then before conception it is desirable, and sometimes simply necessary, to undergo special therapy in order to prevent the rejection of the fetus by the mother's body.

If, nevertheless, couples with different Rh factors are already expecting a child, and no preventive measures were taken at the stage of pregnancy planning, then you need to carefully monitor the condition of the fetus throughout the pregnancy. Today, with timely diagnosis, the Rh-conflict can be neutralized by introducing anti-Rh immunoglobulin for a period of 26-27 weeks.

Rhesus conflict between mother and fetus. What is the danger?

Nothing terrible will happen if a pregnant woman has a negative one. This should not worry the parents. But if everything is the other way around: the mother has a negative Rh factor, and the child has a positive one, then it is likely that the Rh conflict will nevertheless arise.

When the erythrocytes of the fetus enter the mother's blood, they can be perceived by her body by foreign bodies, which will provoke an immune response. Therefore, it is so important to monitor the level of Rh antibodies in the expectant mother. Until the 28th week, the Rh factor must be tested monthly, after this period - every two weeks. Doctors also pay special attention to the fetal liver: if it is enlarged, it may be necessary to do intrauterine transfusion or even terminate the pregnancy.

Therefore, if we talk about conceiving a child, then most future parents, as a rule, are worried about the influence of the Rh factor. But very few people know about the threats that the incompatibility of the blood types of the mother and the unborn child can carry.

Reasons for incompatibility

As you know, type I blood is characterized by the absence of antigens A and B in its erythrocytes, but do they have antibodies? and?. At the same time, the rest of the groups have such antigens, in connection with which the first, when meeting with antigens A or B foreign to its environment, enters into a fight against them, or the so-called conflict, as a result, erythrocytes containing antigens are destroyed.

This conflict is just called an immunological conflict according to the AB0 system, or more often it is called a "blood group conflict".

Compatibility of blood groups of a husband and wife when conceiving a child:

Who is at risk?

A blood group conflict becomes likely when a pregnant woman and an unborn child have different groups (table 1):

  • For mother I or III - for child II;
  • For mother I or II - for child III;
  • In mother I, II or III - in child IV.

Women with type I blood who are carrying babies of groups II or III are at greatest risk. This combination most often provokes a conflict over the blood group of the mother and her baby, which can become the cause. Doctors also pay special attention to such combinations of blood groups in partners (table 2):

  • Women of the I blood group - men II, III or IV;
  • Group II women - men III or IV;
  • Women of the III group - men of the II or IV groups.

What influences the conflict and its development?

If the pregnancy goes well, then such a conflict is excluded. Mainly due to the placenta: the placental barrier prevents the mother's and baby's blood from mixing. But if this happened, then there is a risk of hemolytic disease in the baby, because of which the child's organs often suffer, especially the brain, kidneys, and liver.

How to identify incompatibilities, treatment methods and prevention

Regular analysis can show incompatibility of groups. Incompatibility will be indicated by the presence of a high level of antibodies in the blood of a pregnant woman.

Group conflict in a newborn is manifested when observing such symptoms: anemia, edema, jaundice, enlargement of the spleen and liver. A conflict or incompatibility is always necessary to visit a doctor and be aware of your situation.

In order to prevent dangerous consequences that can lead to incompatibility of blood groups, it is recommended to frequently take a blood test for hemolysins (specific antibodies). If any, the expectant mother should be in the hospital under the close attention of doctors.

The materials are published for information purposes only, and are not a prescription for treatment! We recommend that you consult a hematologist at your hospital!

During pregnancy, an important role is played not only by the Rh-belonging of the blood, but also by its AB0 system. A conflict can arise if the child has inherited a blood type that is not compatible with the mother's blood type. Blood incompatibility options should be considered when planning a pregnancy.

Blood type and pregnancy

« Marriages are made in heaven"- this phrase is known to everyone and comes from the most ancient version of the Bible. Ideally, it should be so. But the realities of life suggest that feelings are feelings, and there should be some pragmatism in family planning and conceiving a child.

In particular, it will focus on as well as the mother and fetus. Many do not know about this, and do not think about it, believing that the conflict can only be on the Rh factor. And although such complications are much less common than Rh-conflict, they still occur in certain cases, which you need to know about in order to take preventive measures in time.

The unborn baby may inherit the blood type of one of the parents, as well as other variants according to the laws of genetics. The group is formed in the embryonic period, and it is good if it does not cause a conflict with the mother's blood group, as a result of which hemolytic reactions develop that are not inferior in severity to the Rh-conflict.

Compatible blood groups during pregnancy

The ideal blood type couples planning to conceive are:

  • partners with the same blood group and rhesus;
  • a woman has a 4th blood group, her spouse can have any;
  • the man has the 1st blood group, his partner has any.

As a rule, in such cases there is no conflict in the group. Compatibility of groups 1 and 1 is ideal, when in the blood of both partners there is no type of agglutinogens (neither A nor B) that can combine with agglutinins (antibodies).

The compatibility of 1 negative and 1 negative groups is even more ideal: pregnancy, as a rule, proceeds in these cases without complications, since neither group nor Rh antigens are found in the blood.

Also, a conflict on Rhesus does not develop, if a woman has the first positive blood group during pregnancy, anti-Rhesus antibodies cannot form in her.

Father Mother Child The likelihood of a conflict by blood group
0(1) 0(1) 0(1) No
0(1) A (2) 0 (1) or A (2) No
0(1) AT 3) 0 (1) or B (Z) No
0(1) AB (4) A (2) or B (Z) No
A (2) 0(1) 0 (1) or A (2) 50/50
A (2) A (2) 0 (1) or A (2) No
A (2) AT 3) 50/50
A (2) AB (4) B (3) or A (2) or AB (4) No
AT 3) 0(1) 0 (1) or B (Z) 50/50
AT 3) A (2) any (0 (1) or A (2); or B (3); or AB (4)) 50/50
AT 3) AT 3) 0 (1) or B (Z) No
AT 3) AB (4) 0 (1) or B (3) or AB (4) No
AB (4) 0(1) A (2) or B (Z) Yes
AB (4) A (2) AT 3). or A (2). or AB (4) 50/50
AB (4) AT 3) A (2). or B (3). or AB (4) 50/50
AB (4) AB (4) A (2) or B (3); or AB (4) No

The table shows the possible likelihood of conflict

Conflict on blood type and rhesus during pregnancy

Incompatibility in the AB0 system during pregnancy can develop in such cases when the following combination of blood groups in partners is highly undesirable:

  • a woman has the 1st blood group, a man has 2-3-4 groups;
  • a woman has a 2nd group, a man has 3-4;
  • a woman has 3, a man has 2 or 4 groups.

In these cases, the unborn child may inherit a group that is capable of giving a conflict with the mother's blood, namely:

  • 1 and 2 blood groups in the mother can give a conflict with group 3 in the child;
  • Groups 1 and 3 in the mother may conflict with group 3 in the child;
  • Groups 1, 2 and 3 in the mother do not exclude the likelihood of a conflict in a child with group 4.

Compatibility of groups 1 and 2 during pregnancy is possible only when 1 group is in the child, and 2 in the mother. The compatibility of groups 1 and 3 is similar, as well as the compatibility of groups 1 and 4, in the opposite case, when group 1 belongs to the mother, conflicts are possible in all three options.

The first negative blood group during pregnancy is considered the most dangerous, because incompatibility develops both in the AB0 system and in the Rh factor.

Important! It should not be considered pragmatism or calculation to examine both spouses for group and Rh blood affiliation. Even if options for incompatibility are possible, this does not mean that they should not be planning a child. Periodic examination and prevention is required.

Risk group and prevention of group incompatibility in pregnant women

Do not think that in all the listed variants of the combination of blood groups, a conflict on AB0 or ​​Rhesus will necessarily develop. Women who have not had a pregnancy, abortion or childbirth before should not worry at all. However, they still need to pass a blood test for the group and Rh, for the presence of antibodies.

Important! Women who have already had childbirth, abortions, miscarriages, especially those with 1 negative blood group, who may have antibodies in their plasma, are at risk. They must be examined more often, be tested for antibodies, and, if necessary, receive treatment (anti-rhesus serum and other drugs).