Use the figure above to answer the following questions.
-In an Rh incompatibility during pregnancy, the mother
A) must be positive and her first and second fetuses positive.
B) must be negative and her first and second fetuses positive.
C) must be negative and her first and second fetuses negative.
D) must be positive and her first and second fetuses negative.
E) and the father must both be negative and the fetus positive.

Question

Use the figure above to answer the following questions.
-In an Rh incompatibility during pregnancy, the mother
A) must be positive and her first and second fetuses positive. 
B) must be negative and her first and second fetuses positive. 
C) must be negative and her first and second fetuses negative. 
D) must be positive and her first and second fetuses negative. 
E) and the father must both be negative and the fetus positive.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In Rh incompatibility during pregnancy, the mother must be Rh-negative and her fetus must be Rh-positive. This is because if the mother is Rh-positive and the fetus is Rh-negative, there is no risk of Rh incompatibility as the mother's Rh-positive blood will not attack the fetus's Rh-negative blood cells. In subsequent pregnancies, if the mother's immune system has been sensitized to the Rh factor (after exposure to Rh-positive blood from the first pregnancy), it may attack the Rh-positive blood cells of the fetus in subsequent pregnancies, causing hemolytic disease of the newborn. Therefore, if the mother is Rh-negative, there is no risk of sensitization and subsequent Rh incompatibility.

Use the Figure Above to Answer the Following Questions