**Blood compatibility testing helps prevent ABO transfusion reactions, but you cannot prevent an inherited blood type difference between you and your baby.**
Before a transfusion, your care team checks your blood type and tests donor blood for compatibility. You can help by confirming your name and date of birth and reporting previous transfusion reactions. During pregnancy, routine blood testing identifies your blood group, but it cannot change your baby's inherited blood type. If your baby has a different ABO type, newborn monitoring helps detect jaundice or anemia that needs treatment.
Can it be prevented?
Common questions
How can you prevent ABO incompatibility?
Preventing ABO transfusion reactions depends on blood typing, compatibility testing, and correct patient identification before blood is given. Confirm your name and date of birth with staff and share any past transfusion reactions. In pregnancy, you cannot prevent an inherited ABO blood type mismatch with your baby. Keep prenatal visits and your baby's recommended jaundice checks to catch problems early. Rh immune globulin prevents certain Rh problems, not ABO incompatibility. Get immediate medical assessment if your baby develops jaundice in the first 24 hours.