What it means
A blood product made from donated plasma. If Rh-positive blood from a fetus enters the blood of an Rh-negative pregnant person, their immune system can make antibodies that attack the red blood cells of a future Rh-positive baby. This injection removes the fetal cells before that can happen. It is usually given at about 28 weeks of pregnancy, within 72 hours after the birth of an Rh-positive baby, and after events where blood may mix, such as miscarriage, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, amniocentesis or belly trauma.
For the nurse
Check the client's blood type and antibody screen, and confirm she is Rh-negative and not already sensitized. Give it IM to the mother, never to the newborn, and follow facility policy for blood products, which may include consent and a second checker.
In a chart
"Mother O negative, newborn A positive; RhoGAM 300 mcg IM given in left deltoid at 18 hours postpartum."
At a glance
| Drug class | immune globulin |
|---|---|
| Brand names | RhoGAM, HyperRHO, Rhophylac, WinRho |
| Spanish | inmunoglobulina anti-D |
| Also written | Rh immune globulin, anti-D immune globulin, RhoGAM |
Related terms
vaccine
A product that trains the immune system to protect the body against a specific disease.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.