Rh factor incompatibility occurs when the mother, through prior pregnancy, has become sensitized to the Rh factor of the fetal RBCs.

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The cause is Rh factor incompatibility. Rh factor is the antigen found on RBCs of the Rh-positive individual. The mother, through a prior pregnancy, has become sensitized to the Rh factor (Rh isoimmunization) of the fetal RBCs. When sensitized maternal blood finds its way into fetal circulation, particularly during delivery, the antibodies in the mother's blood destroy the RBCs of the fetus (see Figures 2-48 and 2-49).

Rh Factor Incompatibility Occurs When the Mother, Through Prior Pregnancy