RhoGAM
 |
Learn about RhoGAM from a drug injury lawyer! |
| Home |
| RhoGAM information |
| RhoGAM Resources |
| Contact Us |
| About RhoGAM InfoCenter |
| RhoGAM InfoCenter is an Internet resource that offers you an opportunity to research RhoGAM and your legal rights associated with RhoGAM injuries. RhoGAM InfoCenter does not offer legal advice or referrals. |
| RhoGAM Information |
RhoGAMWhat is RhoGAM? RhoGAM is the common name for Rho (D) immune globulin. This product is used during and after pregnancies to resolve an incompatibility in Rh factor between mother and unborn child. What is Rh factor? Rh factor is a protein that attaches to red blood cells in most people. People who have Rh factor (composing most of the general population) are said to be Rh positive; those who do not have it are Rh negative. The presence of Rh factor in a person’s blood can be easily determined through a laboratory test. What is Rh incompatibility? Rh incompatibility occurs when a mother is Rh negative and her fetus is Rh positive. If the fetus’s blood traverses the placenta, it interacts with the mother’s blood. When this happens, the mother’s body perceives the Rh factor in the fetus’s blood as a harmful substance, and produces antibodies to fight it. The production of these antibodies is termed sensitization. These antibodies will fight the Rh factor back to its source: the fetus. If sensitization occurs early in the pregnancy, the antibodies may begin to attack the current fetus during the third trimester. Fetal damage from Rh incompatibility can include anemia, illness, brain damage, and even death. Worse, once a mother is sensitized, any future Rh positive fetus she bears will run an increased risk of sustaining damage due to the antibodies. How does RhoGAM impact Rh incompatibility? RhoGAM prevents Rh sensitization in Rh negative women if antibodies to Rh factor have not yet been produced; it cannot, however, desensitize a woman whose body has already begun to react to Rh factor, nor can it reverse the effects that sensitization can have on a fetus. If an Rh negative mother has not yet been sensitized, she receives a RhoGAM injection in the twenty-eighth week of her pregnancy. The medication is good for 12 weeks, which should carry through the remainder of her pregnancy. She is then given another dose after the baby has been born. RhoGAM treatment is also recommended for Rh negative women who have had a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy (gestation in the fallopian tubes or other location besides the uterus), or sampling to determine the genetic makeup of the fetus. What are the dangers of RhoGAM? RhoGAM itself is generally considered safe for most pregnant women to use. However, there are some concerns, including: · Past allergic reactions to any human immune globulin (including Rho (D)) · Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiencies · Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) – a blood disorder · Allergy to thimerosal or mercury While there have been no reported complications in pregnancy or nursing associated with the Rho (D) immune globulin, it is always best to consult with a physician and discuss any health concerns. It has been manufactured with thimerosal in the past, and some samples may still include this compound. What is thimerosal? Thimerosal is a mercury compound that, until recently, was used as a preservative in vaccines. However, widespread suspicion that thimerosal causes autism in children has led to rigid U.S. Food and Drug Administration restrictions on thimerosal content in products. What are the dangers of thimerosal? Any dangers that thimerosal may pose have yet to be documented. While parents of autistic children have denounced it, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) contend that thimerosal contains a form of mercury for which there is little evidence of human toxicity (ethylmercury). Nevertheless, RhoGAM is now required to be manufactured with only trace amounts of thimerosal. RhoGAM containing thimerosal still remains on the shelves, as its manufacturers have been given a window of time to filter all of the old units out of the market. The product’s label indicates that it contains thimerosal, but bears no warning. |