Rh factor can produce?

HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Easy

Appeared in: HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

Erythroblastosis fetalis, also known as Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN), is a condition where maternal antibodies attack and destroy fetal red blood cells.
It occurs due to Rh incompatibility, specifically when an Rh-negative mother carries an Rh-positive fetus.
During a sensitizing event (like a first delivery), the mother develops anti-D IgG antibodies. In subsequent Rh-positive pregnancies, these antibodies cross the placenta and cause hemolysis in the fetus.
This hemolysis leads to severe anemia, hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice), and potentially hydrops fetalis (severe edema) and kernicterus (brain damage from high bilirubin).

Option A: AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the final stage of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a retrovirus that attacks the immune system.
Option C: Turner's syndrome is a chromosomal disorder affecting females, characterized by the absence of part or all of a second sex chromosome (monosomy X).
Option D: Sickle cell anaemia is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin gene, which results in red blood cells becoming rigid and sickle-shaped.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pathophysiology of Rh incompatibility and its consequences as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing responsibility is the timely administration of Rho(D) immune globulin (e.g., RhoGAM) to unsensitized Rh-negative mothers at around 28 weeks of gestation and within 72 hours postpartum if the baby is Rh-positive.
Nurses must meticulously check and document the blood types of both mother and newborn to identify the risk of Rh incompatibility and ensure appropriate preventive measures are taken.
Postpartum, the nurse assesses the newborn for signs of HDFN, such as jaundice appearing within the first 24 hours, pallor (from anemia), and lethargy, and reports them promptly for management, which may include phototherapy or exchange transfusion.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept in the question stem: 'Rh factor'. This directs your thinking to blood group immunology and its clinical implications.
Next, analyze the verb 'can produce', which asks for a direct consequence or disease caused by the Rh factor.
Evaluate each option based on its known cause:
Option A (AIDS) is a viral disease.
Option B (Erythroblastosis foetalis) is an immune reaction related to blood incompatibility.
Option C (Turner's syndrome) is a genetic/chromosomal condition.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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