Living With Rh Incompatibility

If you have Rh-negative blood, injections of Rh immune globulin can reduce your risk for Rh incompatibility in future pregnancies. It's important to get this medicine every time you give birth to an Rh-positive baby or come in contact with Rh-positive blood.

If you're Rh-negative, your risk for problems from Rh incompatibility is higher if you were exposed to Rh-positive blood before your current pregnancy. This may have happened during:

• An earlier pregnancy (usually during delivery)
• A miscarriage
• An induced abortion
• A blood transfusion
• Bleeding during pregnancy

You also can be exposed to Rh-positive blood during certain tests, such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. (For more information, see "Who Is At Risk for Rh Incompatibility?")

Unless you were treated with Rh immune globulin after each of these events, you're at risk for Rh incompatibility during current and future pregnancies.

It's important to let your doctor know about your risk early in your pregnancy. Once your doctor is aware of your risk, he or she can carefully monitor your pregnancy and promptly treat any problems that arise.