heterospecific mating

heterospecific mating, mating in which the man and woman have incompatible blood types, such that the woman may develop antibodies to her partner’s blood type. This mating causes difficulties in childbirth, since there is a chance that the child conceived in a heterospecific mating will have its father’s blood type. When a heterospecific pregnancy occurs, the mother produces antibodies to the blood type of the fetus, which attack and destroy fetal red blood cells. The classic example of this is seen when an Rh-negative woman marries an Rh-positive man and has children who are Rh-positive (see Rh blood group system). Frequently the mother develops antibodies to the fetal blood type, which may result in miscarriage, a stillborn child, or a baby born with severe hemolytic anemia or jaundice. Sometimes the only way to save the life of the newborn is to replace its blood completely by a total exchange transfusion. Heterospecific incompatibilities also occur involving the ABO blood group system (q.v.).