Question

Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) is ordered for a client before she is discharged after a spontaneous abortion. The nurse understands that the rationale for administration is to prevent which of the following?

Option 1: Rh incompatibility in future pregnancies
Option 2: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
Option 3: Ectopic pregnancy
Option 4: Hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn

Answer 1

Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) is administered to prevent Rh incompatibility in future pregnancies by preventing the formation of anti-Rh antibodies that could lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse understands that Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) is administered to prevent Rh incompatibility in future pregnancies. RhoGAM's function is to eliminate fetal Rh-positive erythrocytes that may have entered the maternal bloodstream, thus preventing the mother's immune system from developing anti-Rh antibodies. This is crucial because if an Rh-negative mother becomes sensitized to Rh-positive cells, she could produce antibodies that could cross the placenta and harm an Rh-positive fetus in subsequent pregnancies, leading to a condition known as hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) or erythroblastosis fetalis.