Signs of incompatibility of partners for conception and a table of compatibility by blood group and Rh factor

The planning stage for a future pregnancy is very important. For the birth of a healthy child, quite a few different nuances should be taken into account. This article will talk about the signs of compatibility of partners for conception by blood group and Rh factor.

Features:

A lot is currently known about blood groups. But there is much less about how they can affect the process of conceiving a baby.

To conceive a healthy baby, it is necessary that the blood type of his mom and dad is compatible. In this case, the risk of possible problems during pregnancy will be much lower.

In order to understand why the incompatibility of partners occurs, one should turn to basic knowledge about blood groups. The group has been defined since birth. Special protein molecules - agglutinins and agglutinogens - determine whether a person belongs to a particular blood group. In this case, agglutinins are in the liquid component of the blood - plasma.

Currently, there are 2 types of agglutinins - a and b. Aglutinogens are found directly in erythrocytes - red blood cells that carry nutrients and oxygen to all tissues and organs. They are also known 2 types. Agglutinogens are usually designated by capital letters A and B.

Various combinations of agglutinogens and agglutinins determine the blood group in humans. Doctors distinguish 4 blood types:

1 group. Also called O. Determine its agglutinins a and b, but there are no agglutinogens in the plasma.
2nd group... The second name is group A. It is determined by the presence of agglutinin b and agglutinogen A.
Group 3... Also called B-group. Determined by the presence of agglutinin a and agglutinogen B.
4 group... The second name used is AB. Determined by the presence of agglutinogens A and B in erythrocytes in the absence of agglutinins in the plasma.

For a long time, the importance of such an important indicator as the Rh factor in medicine remained a mystery. For the first time, the presence in the blood of special proteins - antigens that determine the Rh factor (Rh) were shown at the beginning of the 20th century by two doctors - Philip Levin and Rufus Stetson. They proved the presence of certain protein molecules in the blood on the example of the appearance of hemolytic jaundice in a newborn after a transfusion of an incompatible blood group.

Currently, scientists know exactly how the Rh factor is determined. On the surface of erythrocytes there are substances - D-antigens. If they are present, then such a Rh factor is called positive. In the absence of D antigens on the surface of the red blood cells, it is said to be Rh negative.

The presence of a certain Rh factor is a constant indicator that is determined from birth and does not change throughout life. So, if both parents have a negative Rh factor, then the baby will have it the same. If the future dad and mom have different Rh factors, then the baby can be either positive or negative.

Impact on fertilization

The blood group does not directly affect the process of conceiving a child. Also, it does not in any way affect the possibility of conceiving a boy or girl.

If a conflict in the ABO system between the mother and the fetus arises in the future, then this is usually manifested by the appearance of a little jaundice in the baby after his birth. In this case, the child's skin becomes icteric. This condition passes, as a rule, after a few days, but requires constant monitoring of the child. Also, a conflict over the agglutinogen system can lead to the appearance of certain uncomfortable symptoms in a woman during pregnancy. The likelihood of developing toxicosis in the first half of pregnancy with morning nausea increases significantly.

For a long time, it was believed that different blood types of partners are a guarantee that a child will be born healthier and stronger. However, modern scientific research has refuted this statement. The risk of developing dangerous pathologies while carrying a child also exists with different blood groups of future parents.

The Rh factor in the direct planning of pregnancy plays a rather important role, but it does not significantly affect the conception of a baby. In this situation, doctors are more afraid of the development of a potential Rh-conflict that may occur during pregnancy.

If partners have the same Rh group, then the risk of developing an immunological conflict is low. In the presence of different Rh groups, especially if in this case the woman has a negative Rh factor, the risk of developing an immunological conflict increases. In such a situation, the baby can "inherit" a positive Rh factor from the father. The difference in Rh factors in the mother and the fetus, as noted earlier, provokes the development of negative consequences.

How to check if a pair is compatible?

Determining the blood group or Rh factor is currently simple. These indicators are quite easily and quickly checked in any diagnostic laboratory. It is possible to pass the analysis to future parents both in a free and in a private medical institution.

The test requires a small amount of venous blood. The result is ready pretty quickly. In order to assess the compatibility of a couple, it is necessary to determine the Rh factors and blood groups in both partners. Families who cannot conceive a baby for a long time and have problems with natural conception are especially carefully checked in this way.

Rh factor

The possible incompatibility of partners is necessarily assessed according to different criteria. The most important of these is the Rh factor. For the convenience of assessing the compatibility of partners, a special table is used, presented below.

The most often confusing situation is the appearance of a “negative” child in a “positive” couple. Very often in such a situation, the question of true fatherhood arises. Let's dispel the myths right away and say that such a situation really takes place in practice. The inheritance of the Rh factor follows genetics. In this case, the baby may inherit a positive Rh of his parents, or maybe not.

The opposite situation is negative Rh factors in both parents. In this situation, the baby can only be born with the same rhesus.

By blood type

In order to determine the compatibility of blood groups of future parents, a special table is used. With its help, you can determine the likelihood of a child's blood group, as well as assess the risk of developing incompatibility. Such a table is presented below.

It is important to note that these data are indicative only. In practice, there are cases when, even with a conditionally favorable prognosis, an immunological conflict developed. This table only allows you to assess the potential compatibility of partners and assume the blood type of the future baby.

It also follows from this table that the first blood group of the future father is perfectly "combined" with others. There is no risk of developing an immunological conflict. In this case, the likelihood of developing a healthy pregnancy increases significantly. It can also be assumed that the first paternal blood group is not absolutely decisive for the baby. Maternal data also affect the determination of the child's blood group. In this case, the blood type of the baby may be different.

The third blood group, one might say, is the most "problematic". As you can see from the table, it is rather poorly combined with groups 1 and 2. Moreover, with groups 3 and 4, the combination is already more favorable.

Pregnancy for representatives of the 4th blood group is better planned for people who have similar groups. According to the table, the 4th blood group is rather poorly combined with others, except for "own". The risk of developing Rh-conflict when combining 4 groups and the first is the most unfavorable. Unfortunately, a completely healthy pregnancy without any negative consequences is unlikely.

How does the discrepancy manifest?

Unfortunately, in most cases it becomes possible to determine the biological incompatibility of partners only after conception and during pregnancy. Also, negative signs of Rh-conflict or incompatibility according to the ABO system can be assessed in a baby after his birth.

For example, with a combination of 4 paternal blood groups and 1 maternal blood group, there is a rather high risk of developing dangerous pathologies of intrauterine development of the fetus. They contribute to the fact that the baby can significantly lag behind in his physical development. The likelihood of the formation of malformations of internal organs is also quite high. Babies born with this combination of blood groups have a rather high risk of congenital kidney and heart disease.

Often during pregnancy, doctors talk about Rh-conflicts. In this case, the Rh factors in the mother and the fetus are different. A conflict arises when an Rh-negative woman is carrying a Rh-positive baby. In such a situation, the female body perceives the child as a foreign antigenic "object" At the same time, the risk of developing dangerous pathologies during pregnancy and even miscarriage is quite high.

One of the most severe conditions, which is a consequence of such an immunological conflict for the Rh factor, is hemolytic jaundice of newborns. With this pathology, erythrocytes begin to disintegrate in the child's body with the accumulation of bilirubin in the tissues. A large amount of the formed bilirubin contributes to the fact that the child's skin changes - it turns yellow. The course of hemolytic jaundice is usually severe and carried out in a hospital setting.

The development of an immunological Rh-conflict is a certain "lottery". In medical practice, it also happens that even in the case of the development of Rh-conflict during pregnancy, pathologies do not arise. Such a situation is possible if the female body, for some reason, was already familiar with Rh antigens, that is, sensitized to them. This is usually possible with previous blood transfusions, etc. Thus, a different Rh factor in the mother and the fetus does not always lead to the development of dangerous pathologies.

Is it treatable?

Doctors note that the biological compatibility of partners is a rather complex topic. To conceive a healthy baby, several factors must "work" at once. Even at the stage of direct fertilization, in some cases, certain problems may arise.

One of the fairly common of them is the immunological conflict arising in connection with antisperm antibodies. These special protein substances can have a destructive effect on male reproductive cells - sperm. In some cases, these antibodies arise in the female body, significantly interfering with the conception of a baby.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to change the Rh factor or blood group. However, knowing them, it is possible to clarify in advance the risk of developing dangerous complications of the development of pathologies of the course of pregnancy.

Any "conflict" pregnancy is a reason for a more careful and attentive attitude on the part of doctors to the state of health of a pregnant woman, as well as to the intrauterine development of her baby.

During the carrying of a baby, doctors carefully monitor a patient with a high risk of developing an immunoconflict pregnancy. In order to timely identify the development of dangerous pathologies in her, a whole complex of diagnostic studies is carried out for a pregnant woman. These include:

Ultrasound examination. With its help, you can determine the main signs of fetal lag in intrauterine development. From a certain period of fetal life, an ultrasound specialist must evaluate the size of its liver, clinical signs and size of the placenta, and the amount of amniotic fluid. A comprehensive assessment allows you to identify pathologies at the earliest stages.

Doppler ultrasonography. A more detailed method for assessing the intrauterine development of the fetus. It is used in obstetric practice in immunoconflict pregnancies in order to more accurately assess the potential risk of pathology formation.
Study of umbilical cord blood for bilirubin. Amniotic fluid can also be used for this study. This diagnostic procedure is performed only in difficult and severe clinical cases, since it is invasive and can have a number of negative consequences.

What to do?

If the risk of developing an immunological conflict is high, then doctors will offer the expectant mother several special manipulations that should help reduce the risk of developing dangerous pathologies in her baby in the future. Such measures are considered to be more preventive, since they help to significantly reduce the potential for the development of intrauterine pathologies in a child and improve the course of pregnancy.

One of the preventive measures used is the "immunization" of a pregnant woman with immunoglobulins. This procedure is usually performed at 27-28 weeks of gestation. Its purpose is to temporarily "freeze" the female immunity so that a violent response to the ingestion of foreign antigens of the fetal blood does not begin in the female body.

It is important to note that this procedure is carried out only under the strict prescription of a doctor. There are certain contraindications to its implementation, which the doctor must determine in each case.

A significant disadvantage of this technique is the weakening of a pregnant woman's own immunity. Such intervention can lead to the fact that the immune system of the expectant mother will simply be unable to resist various infections. In such a situation, even a banal flu or cold can have rather adverse consequences.

In medical practice, there are also varieties of this procedure. So, the introduction of immunoglobulin into the female body can be carried out after childbirth. Typically, these injections are performed within the first 72 hours after the baby is born. This procedure allows you to further "immunize" the female body. In subsequent pregnancies, in this case, the risk of developing an immunological conflict is reduced.

There are also quite invasive methods used in "conflict" pregnancy. Immediately, we note that they are performed in rather difficult cases, when there is no other alternative. The essence of the invasive technique is to introduce certain biological components to the fetus through the umbilical cord into the placenta or even perform a blood transfusion. This procedure is carried out in order to restore and normalize the work of red blood cells in the child's body - erythrocytes.

Doctors strongly recommend that all women at risk of developing immuno-conflict pregnancies regularly visit their doctors while carrying babies. It is very important that medical care in this course of pregnancy is provided in a timely manner and in full. In this case, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of developing dangerous pathologies of intrauterine development in the baby, as well as to avoid the formation of serious diseases.

It is possible to "bypass" the situation in which the risk of developing an immunological conflict is high with the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this case, conception is carried out under the strict supervision of a reproductive specialist. This doctor knows exactly which cells are being taken for fertilization. Also, in a special laboratory, you can determine all the basic properties of germ cells immediately before conception. In this case, the doctor, even at the stage of pregnancy planning, can accurately calculate the Rh factor and even suggest the blood group of the unborn child.

Very often, if the risk of an immunological conflict is quite high, an Rh-negative embryo is selected for "landing" in the uterus. IVF has already helped quite a few couples who have been diagnosed with biological incompatibility to conceive their long-awaited babies.