Blood Type and CBC
ABO type and Rh factor
You should know your blood type. There are four main types. A, B, AB, O. There are antigens on the blood cell. These are a protein. Each person has a different type of protein. These are on the surface of the red blood cells. These can cause a response from the immune system. They are either negative or positive. If you are Rh negative and your husband is Rh positive, and the baby is Rh positive like its father, you can develop antibodies to the Rh positive baby. This happens if any of this baby’s blood mixes with your blood. Your body sees it as a a foreign item, so it does what God designed it to do, and create antibodies. This is so if you ever have this ‘foreign’ item in your blood again, it will recognize it , and perhaps make attempts to ‘get rid’ of it. If you do develop this, it means that you are sensitized and your antibodies can cross the placenta and attack your baby’s blood. They will break down the fetus’s red blood cells and produce anemia. This condition is called hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia. This can cause illness, brain damage, or death with a baby.
How can this happen?
The following are possible ways that this can occur.
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If you have had a miscarriage
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An abortion
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A blood transfusion
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An Ectopic pregnancy
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If you have had an accident, a fall, an automobile accident.
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testing, such as amniocentesis
CBC (Complete Blood Count)
This test tells you about your blood cells. Your red blood cells, white blood cells, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, and platelet count as well as other cells. It is important to check this during your pregnancy and usually you will have this checked in the beginning of your pregnancy an again in the third trimester.
