Live Life Team
Rhesus is very rare these days as now a treatment has been found for it and can be cured easily. This disease mostly affects pregnant ladies and newborn babies. The disease attacks the antibodies present in the mother’s blood which in turn affects the baby’s blood cells. The antibodies come up in case a woman’s blood has found rhesus-positive blood and because of this reaction, the first baby doesn’t get affected with this disease. The affected baby will go through blood transfusion immediately after birth and may also be admitted into neonatal unit. Some injections also may be injected to the pregnant mother so that it does not stop the development of the antibodies keeping the child safe. If the symptoms don’t get suppressed or do not respond to the treatment, then it can lead to the child being deaf and also blind.
Symptoms
This disease is passed onto children from their mother. If the mother is affected with rhesus-negative, it can lead to the production of antibodies affecting the child. The main symptoms of this disease are anaemia and jaundice. Symptoms don’t show up immediately after birth but can take even eight months of time after that. Breathlessness, palpitations and jaundice are the main symptoms of the child suffering from anaemia. In a newborn baby, liver may not be able to handle the bilirubin which results in mild jaundice. The basic symptoms of jaundice turn the baby’s skin and white of the eyes yellow.
Causes
Pregnant woman having Rhesus-positive blood have de-antigens in their blood. In case blood comes into direct contact with the blood carrying different antigens can result into the production of antibodies which destroy the blood cells. And the same situation applies when rhesus-negative blood comes into contact with rhesus-positive blood, causing the antibodies to be produced and attacking the D antigens in the blood. If the red blood cells get destroyed, then child may get anaemic and ultimately lead to jaundice. In case if baby is having rhesus-negative, then child won’t get affected with this disease condition.
Diagnosis
Several tests are conducted like screening test or blood test to check for conditions such as anaemia, HIV, rhesus-positive or negative. If the results show positive signs for Rhesus- negative, then further tests are conducted to check for antibodies and their production. The test will be conducted in the 28th or 36th week of pregnancy. Tests are also conducted to check whether after birth child would show any signs of anaemia or Jaundice. If the baby is found to be anaemic, transfusion of the blood may be needed, and done with the help of needle.
Treatment
In case of extreme symptoms, the child would need to go through the blood transfusion. Complete replacement of blood is done so that the destroyed blood cells can be replaced. In case of normal symptoms, child may not need to go with the treatment or can be given Phototherapy.
Complications
Blood transfusion is painful for the kids. If the rhesus disease goes untreated then in extreme cases can lead to brain damage, blindness, deafness.
Prevention
If during pregnancy, it is discovered that the woman is suffering from Rhesus disease, then it’s always recommended to stop injecting anti-d. The women will then be regularly monitored with regular blood tests as well as CT scan for the condition.
