Case Study: A client had an SVD (spontaneous vaginal delivery) today. The labor and delivery nurse gives you a shift report and notes the client is RH Negative and her infant is RH Positive.
Discuss the drug RhoGAM (immune globulin), including:
Route
Nursing Implications
Indications for Use
Contraindications for Use
Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery
RhoGAM is a medication that is used to prevent an immune response to Rh positive blood in people with an Rh negative blood type. It is given by injection into a muscle. The medication works by suppressing the immune system’s response to the Rh positive blood cells. This prevents the production of antibodies that could be harmful to the fetus during a future pregnancy.
Nursing implications include ensuring informed consent, confirming both the maternal and newborn’s blood type, and the maternal sensitization status. Blood product should be matched with lot number and expiration date. RhoGAM should be administered at 26–28 weeks gestation or within 72 hours of delivery, abortion, miscarriage or other obstetrical event such as invasive testing, placental abruption, abdominal trauma.
Indications for use include Rh-negative pregnancy. Contraindications for use include previous severe hypersensitivity reactions to immune globulins, IgA deficiency, and Rh-positive clients.