A nurse is caring for a client who has just delivered her first newborn. The nurse anticipates hyperbilirubinemia due to Rh incompatibility. The nurse should understand that hyperbilirubinemia occurs with Rh incompatibility for which of the following reasons?

A. This statement is incorrect because Rh incompatibility occurs when the mother lacks the Rh factor and the fetus has it, not the other way around. B. This describes ABO incompatibility rather than Rh incompatibility. Anti-A and anti-B antibodies can cross the placenta but typically cause milder hemolysis compared to Rh incompatibility. C. A past transfusion with Rh-negative blood does not contribute to Rh incompatibility, as this situation depends on maternal and fetal Rh status. D. An Rh-negative mother can produce anti-Rh antibodies if exposed to Rh-positive fetal blood. These antibodies cross the placenta, leading to hemolysis of fetal RBCs, which results in increased bilirubin levels.