HESI Maternal Newborn Related

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Which of the following statements about Rh incompatibility is true?

  • A. Rh incompatibility occurs most commonly during a woman's first pregnancy.
  • B. Rh incompatibility is an untreatable condition that leaves a woman infertile for the rest of her life.
  • C. Rh incompatibility is an abnormality that is transmitted from generation to generation and carried by a sex chromosome.
  • D. Rh incompatibility occurs due to antibodies transmitted to a fetus during subsequent deliveries causing brain damage or death.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Rh incompatibility occurs when the mother's antibodies attack the fetus's red blood cells, leading to serious complications, usually in subsequent pregnancies. Choice A is incorrect because Rh incompatibility often occurs in subsequent pregnancies, not necessarily the first one. Choice B is incorrect as Rh incompatibility does not render a woman infertile but can lead to complications during pregnancies. Choice C is incorrect as Rh incompatibility is not carried by a sex chromosome but involves the Rh factor on red blood cells.