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The nurse cares for clients in the prenatal clinic. The nurse identifies which of the following pregnant women is MOST likely to have a problem with Rh incompatibility with her fetus?

A. Rh-negative mother with an Rh-negative partner
B. Rh-positive mother with an Rh-positive partner
C. Rh-negative mother with an Rh-positive partner
D. Rh-positive mother with an Rh-negative partner

User Flybywire
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Final Answer:

Rh incompatibility arises when an Rh-negative mother is partnered with an Rh-positive father, putting subsequent pregnancies at risk for hemolytic disease of the newborn. This scenario is not replicated in the other given options (A, B, D), making option C the most likely to result in Rh incompatibility.So the correct option is C. Rh-negative mother with an Rh-positive partner.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rh incompatibility occurs when an Rh-negative mother is carrying an Rh-positive fetus. The Rh factor is a protein found on the surface of red blood cells. If an Rh-negative mother is exposed to Rh-positive blood (usually during childbirth), her immune system may produce antibodies against Rh-positive blood. This can lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) in subsequent pregnancies with Rh-positive fetuses.

In the given options, the situation MOST likely to result in Rh incompatibility is when an Rh-negative mother (lacking the Rh factor) is partnered with an Rh-positive father. If the fetus inherits the Rh-positive factor from the father, there is a potential for the mother's immune system to mount an immune response against Rh-positive blood in subsequent pregnancies. The other scenarios (A, B, D) involve Rh compatibility between the mother and partner, making Rh incompatibility less likely.

In summary, option C represents the highest risk for Rh incompatibility, where an Rh-negative mother is with an Rh-positive partner, increasing the likelihood of the fetus being Rh-positive and potential complications in subsequent pregnancies.So the correct option is C. Rh-negative mother with an Rh-positive partner.

User HyderA
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