What does 'Rh' stand for in Rh disease?

It stands for Rhesus factor, named after the Rhesus monkeys in which it was first identified.

Can Rh disease be prevented?

Yes, with Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) given to Rh-negative mothers during and after pregnancy.

Is Rh disease common today?

It is now rare in developed countries due to effective preventive medicine.

What are the symptoms of Rh disease in a newborn?

Symptoms can include jaundice (yellow skin), anemia, lethargy, and in severe cases, brain damage (kernicterus).

Is “rh disease” formal?

Rh disease is usually technical/medical in register.

How do you pronounce “rh disease”?

Rh disease: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

rh disease: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low

UK/ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/US/ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/

Technical/Medical

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “rh disease” mean?

A severe hemolytic disease affecting newborns, caused by blood type incompatibility between mother and fetus.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A severe hemolytic disease affecting newborns, caused by blood type incompatibility between mother and fetus.

A medical condition resulting from Rh factor incompatibility, where an Rh-negative mother produces antibodies against her Rh-positive fetus's blood cells, potentially leading to jaundice, anemia, brain damage, or death.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences; both use 'Rh disease' or 'haemolytic disease of the newborn.'

Connotations

Purely medical/clinical in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally low-frequency technical term in both dialects.

Grammar

How to Use “rh disease” in a Sentence

suffer from Rh diseasediagnose with Rh diseaseprevent Rh disease

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

severe Rh diseaseprevent Rh diseasetreat Rh disease

medium

Rh disease prophylaxisRh disease antibodiesrisk of Rh disease

weak

diagnosefetalincompatibility

Examples

Examples of “rh disease” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

Rh disease screening
Rh disease prophylaxis

American English

Rh disease treatment
Rh disease antibodies

Usage

Meaning in Context

Academic

Common in medical textbooks, research on perinatal medicine.

Everyday

Rarely used outside medical discussions.

Technical

Standard term in obstetrics, pediatrics, hematology.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “rh disease”

Strong

HDNErythroblastosis fetalis

Neutral

Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN)Erythroblastosis fetalis

Weak

Blood type incompatibility disease

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “rh disease”

Rh compatibilityNormal neonatal health

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “rh disease”

Spelling: 'Rhesus disease' (UK) vs 'Rh disease' (US).
Using lowercase 'rh' incorrectly.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: It stands for Rhesus factor, named after the Rhesus monkeys in which it was first identified.
: Yes, with Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) given to Rh-negative mothers during and after pregnancy.
: It is now rare in developed countries due to effective preventive medicine.
: Symptoms can include jaundice (yellow skin), anemia, lethargy, and in severe cases, brain damage (kernicterus).
: A severe hemolytic disease affecting newborns, caused by blood type incompatibility between mother and fetus.
: Rh disease is usually technical/medical in register.
: Rh disease: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːrˈeɪtʃ dɪˌziːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“None (technical term)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

RH = Rhesus factor (from monkeys) + Disease = problem; 'RH Negative mum + Positive baby = Disease risk.'

Conceptual Metaphor

A 'war' metaphor: mother's immune system 'attacks' fetal blood cells.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

is a condition caused by blood incompatibility between mother and baby.

Multiple Choice

Rh disease is primarily prevented by: