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The nurse identifies which pregnant woman as most likely to have a problem with Rh incompatibility with the fetus?

a) Rh-positive woman with an Rh-negative partner
b) Rh-negative woman with an Rh-negative partner
c) Rh-positive woman with an Rh-positive partner
d) Rh-negative woman with an Rh-positive partner

User Rock Lee
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The Rh-negative woman with an Rh-positive partner is most likely to experience Rh incompatibility, which can lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn in subsequent pregnancies if she has been sensitized before.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse identifies the Rh-negative woman with an Rh-positive partner as the most likely to have a problem with Rh incompatibility with the fetus. This is because Rh factor incompatibility can cause hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). If the Rh-negative woman has previously been sensitized to Rh-positive blood, her immune system can produce anti-Rh antibodies. These antibodies can cross the placenta in a subsequent pregnancy with an Rh-positive fetus, potentially leading to the destruction of the fetus's red blood cells. Prevention is possible with the administration of Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) to the Rh-negative mother during and after her first Rh-positive pregnancy.

User Mavericks
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