It is a medication given by way of injection. It is known by a number of brand names including RhoGAM.
There are two main reasons. One is if you have a blood disorder called immune thrombocytopenic purpura which is sometimes abbreviated ITP. For this condition, Rh o(D) Immune Globulin may help a patient to maintain proper platelet counts and avoid problems related to this condition. Rh o(D) Immune Globulin might also be given to a woman that is pregnant and is Rh negative.
An antigen is any substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against it. Each person’s blood either does or does not have an antigen called ‘the Rh factor.’ Persons who have this antigen are considered Rh positive. Persons who do not have this antigen are considered Rh negative. Women who are Rh negative and become pregnant will be advised to have Rh o(D) Immune Globulin administered to them. They may have it given to them again after childbirth.
Rh o(D) Immune Globulin is given to protect the health of the baby or of any subsequent baby that the woman may have. Rh o(D) Immune Globulin prevents the mother from forming antibodies which could act to destroy the blood in future babies. A baby who is born Rh positive to an Rh negative mother, who was not treated with Rh o(D) immune globulin, may have a very serious condition which may result in blood transfusions being required for the baby.
Screening for Rh factor is done routinely during a woman’s visits to her obstetrician prior to childbirth. This is just one of a number of reasons why a woman should see an obstetrician once she is pregnant. Her doctor can discuss with her indications, risks, and benefits of the use of this medication in much greater specifics and with application to her particular case.
Appropriate use of Rh o(D) Immune Globulin is very useful in mitigating the effects of conditions which might otherwise result in blood transfusions. For patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, they would each need to decide how they feel about accepting immune globulins, which are considered by these patients to be blood fractions.
