Question

Why would there be cause for concern if a young pregnant mother is Rh-, her husband is Rh+, and this is their second child?

A. If the second child is Rh+ and the mother did not take immunosuppressants, there is a chance that the child will develop erythroblastosis fetalis and die before birth.
B. If the second child is Rh+ and the mother did not take RhoGAM, there is a chance that the child will develop hemolytic anemia (RBC destruction) and the die before birth.
C. If the second child is Rh+ and the mother did not take RhoGAM, there is a chance that the child will develop hemolytic jaundice and die before birth.
D. There should be no concern, as antibodies do not cross the placenta.
E. If the second child is Rh+ and the mother did not take immunosuppressants, there is a chance that the child will develop hemolytic jaundice and die before birth.

Answer 1

If the Rh-negative mother did not receive RhoGAM and is carrying a second Rh-positive child, there is a risk of HDN or erythroblastosis fetalis, which can be fatal for the fetus due to hemolytic anemia.

Step-by-step explanation:

There is cause for concern if a young pregnant mother is Rh-, her husband is Rh+, and this is their second child because of the risk of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) or erythroblastosis fetalis. In the case of a second Rh+ child, if the mother did not receive prophylactic treatment with RhoGAM during her first pregnancy or her current pregnancy, the anti-Rh antibodies she developed after the first pregnancy could cross the placenta and result in the destruction of the Rh+ red blood cells of the fetus. This immune reaction may lead to HDN, a condition that can cause severe hemolytic anemia in the fetus and may result in death before birth if left untreated.