dictionary help| rh factor | medical dictionary |
An antigen that may or may notbe present on the surface of human bloodcells. If a person's blood has the antigen, their blood type ispositive, if they do not, it is negative. The Rh factor isimportant mainly because if a woman who is Rh- conceives a child who is Rh+, themixing of their bloods in the placenta may provoke an immune reaction in the mother that can cause a life-threatening agglutination of the foetus'blood cells.The Rh factor is so named because it was first identified in Rhesus monkeys.
See: ABO blood group.
(09 Oct 1997)
rheumatology, rheumic, rheumides, rhexis < Prev | Next > rh-hr blood-group system, rhigolene, rhigosis
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