A specific brand of Rh- immune globulin, which is an injection given to women who are Rh negative (your blood is O negative, A negative, etc) who give birth or experience a pregnancy loss. RhoGAM ® is not the only brand of Rh- immune globulin on the market, but it was the first developed, and the term became commonly used to refer to Rh- immune globulin much the same as people use the brand name Kleenex ® to refer to all tissues.
Rh- immune globulin prevents a woman's body from forming antibodies to Rh factor in the event that her baby's blood type is Rh positive. If her body does form these antibodies, future pregnancy complications may result. Sensitization after a miscarriage is rare but most doctors prefer to give the shot to women with Rh negative blood types as a precaution.
The Rh- immune globulin is a blood product and carries a small risk of transmitting bloodborne viruses, but in most cases the benefits outweigh the risks. Side effects are rare but most doctors will keep women for observation about 20 minutes following the injection.
