How did the discovery of the rhesus factor affect society?
More patients died from having a transfusion with the wrong rhesus factor.
New treatments during pregnancy could prevent harm to the developing child.
Less donated blood could be used in the treatment of patients.
The number of blood types was reduced by half.
The discovery of the rhesus factor had several significant effects on society:
1. Increased Risk of Death: Prior to the discovery, patients who received blood transfusions with incompatible rhesus factors faced a higher risk of death. With the discovery, medical professionals became aware of the importance of matching blood types, particularly the rhesus factor, which helped reduce the number of deaths caused by incompatible transfusions.
2. Prevention of Harm to Developing Children: The discovery of the rhesus factor also had a profound impact on pregnancy care. It was found that incompatibility between the mother's and fetus's rhesus factor could cause harm to the developing child, leading to a condition called hemolytic disease of the newborn. As a result, new treatments were developed to prevent this harm and protect the health of the unborn child, ultimately improving the outcomes for pregnant women and their babies.
3. Conserving Donated Blood: Prior to understanding the rhesus factor, a considerable amount of donated blood was wasted due to incompatibility issues. Discovering the role of the rhesus factor in blood transfusions allowed for a more efficient use of donated blood, as it enabled medical professionals to match blood types accurately, reducing the quantity of discarded blood and ensuring that it could be utilized effectively.
4. Reduction in Blood Types: The discovery of the rhesus factor also led to a reduction in the number of commonly recognized blood types, as the rhesus factor was found to be a significant determinant. The ABO blood typing system, which includes blood types A, B, AB, and O, remains independent of the rhesus factor, but the rhesus factor itself divided the overall blood types, resulting in two groups: Rh-positive and Rh-negative. Consequently, the rhesus factor discovery simplified the classification of blood types.
Overall, the discovery of the rhesus factor improved medical practices, enhanced pregnancy care, reduced blood waste, and simplified blood type classification, leading to significant positive impacts on society.