Pregnancy And Baby Glossary

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) to Resus Anti-D Gamma Globulin Injection

RDS or Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a condition that most commonly occurs in premature newborns, babies with diabetic mothers and babies born by cesarean. This happens when a baby has difficulty breathing and can't take in enough air, because his or her lungs aren't fully developed.

Failure of the placenta to be expelled on it's own within about 30 minutes after birth is retained placenta. This can result in excessive bleeding and the doctor may have to reach into the uterus to remove the placenta from the uterine wall, in which case the woman would be given an anesthetic for pain.

Rh Factor is a protein found in the blood serum. If the woman has this substance, she is Rh-positive, if she does not have this, she is Rh-negative. An Rh-negative woman carrying an Rh-positive baby may produce antibodies against the baby. When a baby's blood type is incompatible with the mother's, the pregnancy needs to be carefully monitored, because the result can be mild or severe damage or death to the baby from Rh disease.

Rh Titre is a test done by drawing blood from a vein in the arm to determine a woman's Rh status, usually early in pregnancy.

This injection, Resus Anti-d Gamma Globulin, is given to prevent a woman's immune system from making Rh antibodies. The substance in the injection causes the Rh-positive cells in the blood to be destroyed. With no Rh factor to fight, antibodies do not form and the baby is protected. The injection won't work, though, in rare cases which the mother's body is already producing Rh antibodies. When this occurs, the baby needs to be carefully monitored.

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