What If My Doctor Does Not Recognize Rh Incompatibility?

 Posted on January 06, 2025 in Birth Injury

You might be aware that if you need a blood transfusion, your blood type needs to be matched to ensure that your body will accept the new blood. Along with the major blood groups A, B, AB, and O, the Rh factor must also be considered. Your Rh factor is either positive or negative, and a transfusion of the wrong kind of blood can cause severe issues. During pregnancy, the mother’s and baby’s blood usually remain separated, but they could be mixed in some circumstances.

What if a mother’s blood is Rh-negative, but her unborn child has a positive Rh factor? Can the fetus suffer harm? Could those birth injuries be prevented? If your child was harmed because your doctor did not identify and treat Rh incompatibility, your knowledgeable Chicago, IL birth injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.

How Does Rh Incompatibility Cause Problems?

If the mother’s and child’s blood never mix, or if the two share the same Rh factor, their blood should not cause either of them any problems. However, there are times during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth when the baby’s blood could enter the mother’s bloodstream. If the baby is Rh-positive and the mother is Rh-negative, the mother’s body can consider the baby an intruder and begin creating antibodies to attack the fetus. The resulting harm from Rh incompatibility to the fetus could be:

• Severe anemia that destroys the baby’s red blood cells

• Oxygen deprivation that could lead to brain injuries, breathing problems, or death

• Jaundice

• Abnormal heart rate

• Organ damage

• Swelling and retained fluids

• Miscarriage

• Developmental challenges that can affect muscular, cognitive, speech, and hearing functions

• Seizures

The good news is that you can usually avoid these issues if your doctor takes appropriate precautions. The bad news is that if your doctor does not identify the potential problems and treat you for Rh incompatibility, your baby could suffer significant harm.

How Is Rh Incompatibility Treated?

A simple blood test should identify whether the expectant mother is Rh-negative. If she is, then during the second trimester of her pregnancy, she should be given a RhoGAM injection. After delivery, she should be given a second dose of RhoGAM if the baby’s blood is Rh-positive. Abdominal injuries during pregnancy and other issues can make a RhoGAM shot necessary as well. These injections should prevent her body from attacking the fetus and reduce the risks of problems for future pregnancies.

When Is Failing to Treat Rh Incompatibility Medical Malpractice?

Rh incompatibility is a common issue that medical providers are well aware of, and blood tests to identify the mother’s Rh factor are routine. If your doctor or midwife failed to test your blood type or did not give you RhoGAM injections when appropriate and your baby was harmed, you may have grounds to seek compensation. These cases are challenging, but your attorney can prove medical malpractice and maximize your damages.

Request Your Free Case Review With a Dedicated Chicago, IL Birth Injury Attorney

When a physician’s negligence harms you or your baby, Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. can help hold him accountable. Call us at 312-462-4200 or contact us online to discuss your case with a skilled Cook County, IL birth injury lawyer.