Question

A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who is pregnant and has a prescription for Rho(D) immune globulin. Which of the following information should the nurse include?

A. This medication prevents the formation of Rh antibodies by a woman who is Rh-negative.
Rationale: Giving Rho(D) immune globulin prevents the client's immune system from forming antibodies secondary to exposure to fetal blood during pregnancy or delivery.
B. This medication destroys Rh antibodies in a woman who is Rh-negative.
Rationale: Rho(D) immune globulin does not destroy antibodies.
C. This medication destroys Rh antibodies in a newborn who is Rh-positive.
Rationale:Rho(D) immune globulin does not destroy antibodies.
D. This medication prevents the formation of RH antibodies in a newborn who is Rh-positive. Rationale:Rho(D) immune globulin does not prevent the formation of antibodies in a newborn.

Answer 1

Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) prevents the development of anti-Rh antibodies in an Rh-negative mother, which helps in avoiding hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) when she's carrying an Rh-positive fetus. It is administered during the 26-28th weeks of pregnancy and within 72 hours after childbirth.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse reinforcing teaching about Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) should provide essential information regarding its use during pregnancy. RhoGAM is an important medication used to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), which can occur when an Rh-negative mother is pregnant with an Rh-positive fetus. The mother's immune system may produce antibodies against the fetus's Rh-positive red blood cells, leading to serious health issues for the baby.

RhoGAM works by providing anti-Rh antibodies that bind to fetal Rh-positive erythrocytes that may cross into the mother's bloodstream. By doing so, it prevents the activation of the mother's immune system against these cells, obviating the potential development of an antibody response that can affect current and future pregnancies. The medication is typically administered during the 26-28th weeks of pregnancy and within 72 hours after childbirth, which has markedly decreased the incidence of HDN since its introduction.