Guide To Understanding The Different Blood Types

Rh Factor

Rh factor is an abbreviation for Rhesus factor, an antigen that occurs in the blood of humans and other primates. For the human population across the globe, Rhesus factor is present in an estimated eighty-five percent of all blood. Patients who have Rh factor in their blood are classified as having a positive blood type, and those who do not have the Rh factor have a negative blood type. While the lack of Rh factor is not considered an illness and typically has no impact on a patient's health, it may affect a patient's health during pregnancy. Since a baby can inherit Rh factor from either parent, issues might occur in cases where an unborn baby is Rh-positive and the mother is Rh-negative. This is known as Rh incompatibility. Pregnant women normally have a screening test for this incompatibility during their first prenatal appointment. Women who have Rh incompatibility may need to be given several injections of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent the production of Rh antibodies during pregnancy.