Genetic determinants of blood Rh factor

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Your blood's Rh factor is either positive (Rh+) or negative (Rh-). The Rh+ gene is more common than the Rh- gene, and is dominant.

If one of your two Rh genes is Rh+ and the other is Rh-, your blood type is Rh+.
It takes a pair of Rh- genes to make your blood type Rh-.

When an Rh- woman conceives with an Rh+ man, it is probable that their offspring will be Rh+.

If the father has two Rh+ genes, the fetus will inherit an Rh+ gene. That Rh+ gene, paired with the mother's Rh- gene, will result in an Rh+ fetal blood type.
If the father has one Rh+ and one Rh- gene, the fetus will inherit one of them, either:
- An Rh+ gene, resulting in an Rh+ fetal blood type, or
- An Rh- gene which, when paired with the mother's Rh- gene, results in an Rh- fetal blood type.

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Author	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Gregory A L Davies, MD, FRCSC, FACOG - Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Last Updated	November 2, 2007

Last updated:	November 02, 2007
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine, Gregory A L Davies, MD, FRCSC, FACOG - Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer

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