Final answer:
Rho(D) immune globulin, or RhoGAM, is used to prevent Rh antibodies in Rh-negative mothers with Rh-positive fetuses, reducing the risk of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). It is administered during weeks 26-28 of pregnancy and within 72 hours postpartum.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rho(D) immune globulin, commercially known as RhoGAM, is a crucial medication used in prenatal care. Its primary function is to prevent the development of Rh antibodies in an Rh-negative mother, who is carrying an Rh-positive fetus, and thus avoid hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), also known as erythroblastosis fetalis. This condition can lead to severe anemia in the fetus, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.
Rho(D) immune globulin works by destroying any fetal Rh-positive red blood cells that enter the mother's bloodstream, hence preventing her immune system from becoming sensitized to the Rh factor and producing antibodies that could harm the fetus. It is typically administered during the 26th to 28th weeks of pregnancy and within 72 hours after the birth of an Rh-positive baby. The introduction of RhoGAM in 1968 has drastically reduced the incidence of HDN from about 13-14 percent to approximately 0.1 percent in subsequent pregnancies in the United States.