Rhesus Negative Blood Type, Here Are the Facts

Have blood type RA negative liver indicates the absence of an antigen called the Rh factor on the surface of your red blood cells. So, is this a health hazard? Check out the review here.

Rhesus factor (Rh) is an antigen or protein present on the surface of red blood cells. If your red blood cells have the Rh factor, your blood type is Rh positive. Otherwise, your blood type is Rhesus negative.

The most common Rhesus blood type is Rhesus positive. However, you don't have to worry if your blood test results are Rhesus negative. Rhesus negative actually does not affect a person's overall health, except for pregnant women.

Rhesus Negative and Pregnancy

When a pregnant mother is Rh negative and the baby is Rh positive, the mother's Rhesus is incompatible with the fetus. This condition can be dangerous for pregnancy, especially in pregnancy with a second child, so it requires special treatment.

In pregnancy for the first child, this Rhesus incompatibility usually has no effect on the baby because the mother has not yet formed antibodies to the Rhesus factor.

Antibodies are usually only produced when the mother's blood mixes with the baby's blood, for example during childbirth or if the mother experiences bleeding or trauma to the abdomen during pregnancy.

The production of antibodies to Rh can occur because the body recognizes the Rh factor in the fetus as a foreign substance. Eventually, the body begins to form antibodies that act as protection when foreign substances enter the body.

If Rh antibodies are already formed, problems can occur in the second and subsequent pregnancies. These antibodies can enter through the placenta into the baby's bloodstream and damage the baby's red blood cells, resulting in hemolytic anemia in the baby. This condition will be fatal if not treated immediately.

Therefore, at the beginning of pregnancy, it is important for every pregnant woman to check her blood type and Rh factor.

If you are Rhesus negative, your doctor may give you an Rh immunoglobulin (RhIg) injection at 28 weeks of gestation and after delivery.

This injection is needed to prevent your body from producing Rh antibodies during pregnancy, both in the first and subsequent pregnancies.

Rhesus Negative Matches Any Blood Type?

In the case of Rhesus negative blood type, if you have blood type A, B, AB or O, you can only receive blood transfusions from the Rh negative blood type as well. Here's the description:

  • A Rhesus negative blood group can only accept blood from A Rhesus negative and O Rhesus
  • Blood type B Rhesus negative can only accept blood from B Rhesus negative and O Rhesus
  • AB Rhesus negative blood can only accept blood from A Rhesus negative, B Rhesus negative, AB Rhesus negative, and O Rhesus
  • Blood type O Rhesus negative can only receive from O Rhesus

Type O Rhesus negative blood is also called the universal red blood cell donor because it does not have the A, B, and Rh factor antigens. However, he can only accept blood donors from the O Rhesus negative group.

Consult your doctor if you are Rhesus negative, especially if you are planning a pregnancy. You may also need an identification card stating that you are Rhesus negative for emergency purposes.