Final answer:
The management of a pregnant patient with a history of a previous fetus affected by Rh alloimmunization involves administering Rh immunoglobulin and serial titers. Routine antenatal care alone is insufficient. Early induction of labor is not recommended.
Step-by-step explanation:
The management of a pregnant patient with a history of a previous fetus affected by Rh alloimmunization involves administering Rh immunoglobulin and serial titers. Routine antenatal care is important, but alone, it is not sufficient to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). Early induction of labor is not the recommended intervention.
Prior to the development of preventive treatments, Rh factor incompatibility was a common cause of HDN, resulting in infant deaths. To prevent HDN caused by Rh incompatibility, Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) is injected into the mother during the 28th week of pregnancy and within 72 hours after delivery. Additional doses may be given after certain events that may result in transplacental hemorrhage.
The administration of Rh immunoglobulin prevents the mother's primary antibody response to fetal Rh+ cells and reduces the risk of HDN in subsequent pregnancies. However, the mother will need to be retreated with Rh immunoglobulin in future pregnancies to prevent a primary anti-Rh antibody response.