Question: Hemolytic Disease Of The Newborn (Erythroblastosis Fetalis) Use The Diagram Provided In Lab To Answer The Following Questions: For Centuries, Women With A Particular Blood Type Experienced The Heartbreak Of Mysteriously Losing Baby After Baby To A Condition Often Called Hemolytic Disease Of The Newborn (HDN). Many Of These Women Gave Birth To A Healthy …

Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (Erythroblastosis Fetalis) Use the diagram provided in lab to answer the following questions: For centuries, women with a particular blood type experienced the heartbreak of mysteriously losing baby after baby to a condition often called Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN). Many of these women gave birth to a healthy first child, only to experience subsequent pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, stillbirth, or birth to babies with anemia, jaundice or other serious health problems. Hemolytic disease of the Newborn is most common when the mother’s blood type is and the fetal/baby blood type is 1) In what organ does the blood from the fetus/baby and the mother come in close contact? 2) Do blood components such as cells and large proteins from the mother and fetus usually mix under normal circumstances? 3) When during the course of pregnancy and parturition is the greatest risk for mixing of blood components (like actual RBCs) between the mother and newborn? 4) Explain what happens in the first pregnancy with HDN? Does the Rh(D) negative mom’s blood have anti-Rh antibodies during the first pregnancy? 5) Explain why the second pregnancy is at risk for HDN? Antibodies (immunoglobulin proteins used in our defense by the immune system) actually come in five general varieties based on their overall structure, IgA. IgD. IgE. IgG, and IgM. Interestingly, antibodies (if present) against the A or B antigens on RBCs are the IgM variety while antibodies against Rh factor are IgG. 6) What happens if a mom’s anti-Rh antibodies detect and attach to the baby’s circulating RBCs with Rh surface antigens? Can Rh related HDN occur if the fetal blood type is A-negative? 7) Mothers at risk for HDN are often treated with RhoGAM® (anti-Rh antibodies, IgG) during their first pregnancy and also shortly after delivery Before RhoGAM®, hemolytic disease of the newborn claimed the lives of roughly 10,000 babies in the United States. every year. Can you explain why actually injecting the mother with these anti-Rh antibodies might help prevent HON? Does this seem like a strange treatment given the disease is when the mother develops the anti-Rh antibodies?