Nigeria, July 11 -- Pregnancy comes with several routine medical tests, and one of the most important is determining the blood group and Rhesus (Rh) factor of both parents.

Although often overlooked, knowing a mother's Rh status can help prevent a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication known as Rhesus incompatibility.

Rhesus incompatibility occurs when a woman with Rh-negative blood is carrying an Rh-positive baby. In this situation, the mother's immune system may recognise the baby's Rh-positive red blood cells as foreign and begin producing antibodies against them.

The condition rarely affects a first pregnancy because the mother's immune system is usually exposed to the baby's blood only towards the end of pregnancy or ...