How is foetus with Rh+ blood affected if the mother is Rh-

Rh antigens of the foetus do not get exposed to the Rh-ve blood of the mother in the

first pregnancy as the two bloods are well separated by the placenta. However,

during the delivery of the first child, there is a possibility of exposure of the maternal blood to small amounts of the Rh+ve blood from the foetus. In such cases, the mother starts preparing antibodies against Rh in her blood. In case of her subsequent pregnancies, the Rh antibodies from the mother (Rh-ve) can leak into the blood of the foetus (Rh+ve) and destroy the foetal RBCs. This could be fatal to the foetus or could cause severe anaemia and jaundice to the baby. This condition is called erythroblastosis foetalis.