Negative Blood & Rhogam Injections??

[caitlyn2009]

I was told at my last Dr. appointment that since I was a negative blood type I would have to receive several shots of rhogam. This is my first pregnancy and the Dr. said that if I did not get these shots I probably wouldn't be able to have more children. I was just wondering if anyone has gotten these shots and if there is anything I should be worried about. I read some scary things on the internet and kinda freaked myself out.
Thanks!!

 

[Mummy Vikki]

I am negative and in the uk you have a Anti D injection at 28 weeks. Once baby is born they check babys blood type and if the baby is positive you have to have a 2nd injection after the birth (they take a sample form the umbilical cord)

I dont completely understand it all as its very confusing - for me anyway From what I do understand - if your negative and baby is positive, your next pregnancy could be put at risk if you do not have the 2nd jab within 3 days of the birth. If your negative blood crosses with babys positive blood your body begins to see the pregnancy as a foriegn body and tries to get rid of it - same way your immune system fights a cold I suppose

Im negative and my LO is negative so I did not have to get the 2nd jab. We are now expecting No 2 and I got my OH to get a blood test to see what his blood type is - If he is positive I will have to get the Anti D injection this time round as there is a chance the baby could be positive. If he is negative I wont have to get the jab at 28 weeks - this is because 2 negatives cant make a positive

I was scared by things I read on the internet as well so my advice to you would be dont read them You dont have to worry but If you have these injections you definatly wont have nothing to worry about You could get your OH to get a test to see if he is a negative as well - then there will be no need to worry about future pregnancys. If memory serves me correctly, I think its about 20% of the population that has negative blood type so you could look at it as we are special

Oh, also my MIL is negative and she had 3 children with no problems at all so dont let your doc scare you

Congratulations and a happy healthy 9 months ahead

x x x x

 

[Odd Socks]

i'm rhesus negative, it really isn't anything to worry about.
i had a few bleeds while i was pregnant & had to have an anti-d shot each time, as well as the routine one at 28 weeks, but nothing major.
one in 6 people are rhesus negative!
xx

 

[GersPrincess]

I'm negative too! You also need to make sure you get the shots if you have any kind of trauma to your bump or any kind of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy or after a miscarriage. So far, all 3 of my babies have been positive so I'm expecting this one will be too. All my kids are fine and so far as I can tell none of us have suffered any ill effects from the jabs. When I had my first and second babies the jab at 28 weeks wasn't offered, it was just post birth. Last time and this time around too I've got a special little card to keep in my purse letting everyone know I've got negative blood x

 

[stucknthecity]

So since all of you ladies are rh negative as well as me I can ask you! Do I need to have my Husbands blood tested before I reach a certain point in my pregnancy or is it a choice? Any what kind of trauma to the bump are we talking about? Car wreck trauma or dog landed a little to roughly on the bump?

 

[Mummy Vikki]

So since all of you ladies are rh negative as well as me I can ask you! Do I need to have my Husbands blood tested before I reach a certain point in my pregnancy or is it a choice? Any what kind of trauma to the bump are we talking about? Car wreck trauma or dog landed a little to roughly on the bump?

There isnt a need to get your partners blood tested - its a personal choice. I have only asked my OH do find out as both me and LO are both negative so Im assuming he is but just want to know for sure.

I was not aware of having additional jabs if you have any trauma to the bump Will definately mention this to my MW at next check up

x x x x

 

[caitlyn2009]

Thanks everyone. That was very helpful and eased my worries. I am sure that everything will work out fine but i tend to get myself worked up.

 

[lisaf]

they've been doing these shots for decades too, its not a new thing my mom had them when she was pregnant with my brother and me etc.

I don't know if you need them if your OH is RH- ... I know mine is RH + so I definitely need it.

I believe the trauma has to be significant. Something like falling onto a table edge might be enough.. a car accident would definitely be enough... dog jumping up on your belly would be unlikely unless it was a huuuuge dog.

 

[Terangela]

You don't need to know your DH's blood type. They will test the cord blood after delivery to find out your baby's blood type. If your baby is + then they give you a rhogam shot.

I have only had two with each child. One shot at about 26-28 weeks and once again after delivery. I had some bleeding with my first, but it was from a polyp on my cervix so because there was no way that my blood and the baby's blood could mix I didn't need another shot. The shot lasts in your system for about 12 weeks. So they give it to you at 26-28 weeks incase of pre-term labor or any bleeding during your last few weeks. Then you get it again after as there is a possibility that your blood and the baby's blood mixed during delivery.

They will wait until the baby's cord stops pulsing before cutting it.

It is honestly no big deal really. The shot may be tender for a few hours or you may not notice it at all. I only had one that bugged me for about an hour and then nothing.

 

[NaturalMomma]

Your Dr. is wrong. I'm RH - as well. I had 1 shot at 28 weeks with #1 and none with #2.

If the baby's father is RH - as well then you don't need a shot, because 2 RH - people cannot make a + baby.

If the baby's father is + and you do not recieve the shot and the babies blood does not mix with maternal blood then you don't have to worry about the second baby, unless that baby's blood mixes with maternal blood.

The thing they are worried about is baby's blood mixing and then making antibodies to reject the baby. But that doesn't mean it will happen and you don't need serveral shots. You need 1 shot at 28 weeks, and only another shot after baby is born if he/she is +. If he/she is - then you don't need another shot.

 

[lisaf]

Your Dr. is wrong. I'm RH - as well. I had 1 shot at 28 weeks with #1 and none with #2.

If the baby's father is RH - as well then you don't need a shot, because 2 RH - people cannot make a + baby.

If the baby's father is + and you do not recieve the shot and the babies blood does not mix with maternal blood then you don't have to worry about the second baby, unless that baby's blood mixes with maternal blood.

The thing they are worried about is baby's blood mixing and then making antibodies to reject the baby. But that doesn't mean it will happen and you don't need serveral shots. You need 1 shot at 28 weeks, and only another shot after baby is born if he/she is +. If he/she is - then you don't need another shot.

I did hear that they try to give all RH- women the shot just in case paternity may not be certain. Many women who don't know the fatherhood for sure are in denial about it or refuse to think that 1 night stand could be the father etc, lol. So they try to treat all RH- women just in case so there is never any issue about the woman being too embarrassed/in denial about it.
If my DH was RH- and there was zero chance of the baby being someone else's I'd totally refuse the shot myself.. but I think I'd have a hard time convincing my doctors!