Page "Rh disease" Paragraph 5

The incidence of Rh disease in a population depends on the proportion that are rhesus negative.

Many non-caucasian peoples have a very low proportion who are Rhesus negative, so the incidence of Rh disease is very low in these populations.

In Caucasian populations about 1 in 10 of all pregnancies are of a Rhesus negative woman with a Rhesus positive baby.

It is very rare for the first Rhesus positive baby of a Rhesus negative woman to be affected by Rh disease.

The first pregnancy with a Rhesus positive baby is significant for a rhesus negative woman because she can be sensitized to the Rh positive antigen.

In Caucasian populations about 13 % of Rhesus negative mothers are sensitized by their first pregnancy with a rhesus positive baby.

If it were not for modern prevention and treatment, about 5 % of the second Rhesus positive infants of Rhesus negative woman, would result in stillbirths or extremely sick babies and many babies who managed to survive would be severely ill.

Even higher disease rates would occur in the 3rd and subsequent Rhesus positive infants of rhesus negative woman.

By using anti-RhD immunoglobulin ( Rho ( D ) Immune Globulin ) the incidence is massively reduced.