Blood Type O negative - injections to be had?

Mink

I'm not pregnant but hubby & I are broody & possibly want to have a baby over next yr to yr & 1/2.

My blood type is RH O negative & because of this there can be a circumstance where my body would fight against an unborn child if they are any other blood type & some blood passes through.

My granny was same type & after 1st child, had 12 years of stillborns & miscarraiges until she had my dad, who is also RH O negative.
Anyway, I know there are injections you can get to help stop your body fighting against the baby.

Is there anyone out there who had to get this when they were preggers? Was your pregnancy then considered "complicated" or your birth "high risk"?

Grawns

I'm 0- and husband is 0+ so i don't know the babies blood type yet ( 1st baby due Feb). The policy is to give a anti-d injection during the pregnancy (maybe more than once depending on any bleeding that occurs in the 9mths) and if the baby is not 0- again after the birth.

This stops you developing anti-bodies to a rhesus positive baby that you carrried and whose blood ( during labour or bleeds) you may have been exposed to.

It's an easily managed condition these days and BTW congrats on being an universal donor.

Mink

Cheers for that. I used to donate every 3 months until the whole thing about being in the UK for 2+ yrs at a time came up (mad cow disease etc)

Were you told at any time that you were high risk or complicated pregnancy because of this? Reason I ask is I want a home birth and as it would be my first, it can be tricky to get on the domino scheme if any problems occured or are foreseen AFAIK

Quackles

I'm O- too - problems only arise on second and subsequent pregnancies (assuming you suffer no traumas like car crashes etc or bleeding). This is my second pregnancy. They take more blood tests than normal, they check for antibodies. Haven't found any yet, so no injections so far. I think my first fellow was O- too, as I was never given an injection after he was born. It really isn't that big a deal at all anymore, once they're aware of it they'll keep an eye on it.

Grawns

AFAIK they don't encourage ( allow?) home births when it's your first baby anyway. And like quackles said it only effects your 2nd pregnancy and only if the 1st baby is rhesus positive. You have a window of a few days to get the anti-d injection if necessary and they have to make it from your own blood ( Again AFAIK)

giveitago

I have just found out I'm pregant (3rd one). I'm 0- too and hubby is A+. I delivered my last child with the domino scheme in the Rotunda 2 1/2 years ago. I was not considired high risk at all. You only need anti-d injections if you had a previous pregnancy and you did not receive the anti-d after the pregnancy. You do however need to be extra careful of falls or bangs, your midwife should be able to explain this to you at when you fall preganant or talk to your doctor before hand. I did have an extra two blood tests during pregnancy. Had a problem free pregnancy and problem free birth.

Lillyella

So many different experiences!

I'm 0- and my husband hasn't a clue, but is definitely +

Our first daughter is 0-

This pregnancy, no-one asked me about Anti-D, I've had one blood test and no more.

I'm 32 weeks now. I think I'll mention it to my Consultant.

RIRI

I'm RH O- too & partner is A+, this is only an issue on second & subsequent pregnancies if you first child is + and you didn;t receive the anti D. They will test babs and if he/she is + you will get the anti D. In our case babs was also RH O- so this was not required.

Your pregnancy is not considered high risk as far as I know, though as mentioned by others you will get more blood tests than "normal" and you do need to be more mindful of knocks & falls etc. I don't think homebirths are really encouraged on first babies in Ireland (or at all for that matter - but that's a gripe for another day!) but I can't see why the whole blood type thing would have any real bearing on this as you do have a few days to get the injection.

Lillyella - I'd definately be asking the consultant, it was one of the first things the midwives discussed with me in Holles St after the first blood test on my first pregnancy.

popecatapetal

On the first pregnancy it's not too much of a worry - the body doesn't know to respond to the baby's positive blood. It's the second pregnancy onwards that gives trouble, as the body will remember the blood as an invader and fight back. Just like, when you get sick with something the first time, the body takes a long time to fight it, but the second time those germs get into your body, the body targets them and they don't get a chance to make you sick.

LolaDub

I think its the rhesus factor that is the issue not your blood type. I'm a- and baby is a+ (so i don't have the rhesus factor but my daughter does) so i had to have the injection after her birth. I think, but i stand open to correction on all of this, that if you don't have the rhesus factor, your body sees it as a threat so after the first pregnancy it knows how to recognise it and develop anitbodies, hence the injection. Is that right and/or am i making any sense?

Grawns

That's right Lolodub in relation to having babies. O rhesus negative is a pain ( and special too) though in that we can only receive o- blood donations whereas you can receive a- or o-.

See here

littlebug

I'm O- and my husband is O+. Generally they check the babies blood and only give the anti-d if it's rhesus positive. I was actually given the anti - d injection before my first baby was born but my waters had broken prematurely and there was a bit of a bleed. Given that they didn't know how long it would be before I was going to give birth (ie it could have been weeks) they didn't want to wait until she was born to give it. It turned out she was O- too so I didn't actually need it at all.

my second baby was O+ so I had to get it again (after he was born)

Dfens

Mink, if both you and hubby are O RH -ve then you won't need to get anti-D injections. It only becomes an issue if your hubby is RH +ve (particularly for second & subsequent pregnancies).

littlebug

Dfens wrote: »

Mink, if both you and hubby are O RH -ve then you won't need to get anti-D injections. It only becomes an issue if your hubby is RH +ve (particularly for second & subsequent pregnancies).

Just out of curiosity Dfens can two O rh-ve parents not have a rh+ve baby in the same way as two rh +ve parents can have a rh -ve baby (which I find a bit freaky!)

Quackles

littlebug wrote: »

Just out of curiosity Dfens can two O rh-ve parents not have a rh+ve baby in the same way as two rh +ve parents can have a rh -ve baby (which I find a bit freaky!)

Impossible - the negative gene is recessive, so it's only apparant in your blood type if you carry two instances of it. However, because the positive gene is dominant, if you have one positive and one negative gene, you are still positive. When you and the daddy love each other very much you each pass one of those genes on to the baby. If you both pass on the recessive negative gene, then there you go - a negative baby

Grawns

FYI ladies I will be getting my 3rd anti-d injection tommorow. Had instances of spotting so it's routine to me at this stage. Just delighted they're not admitting me. Each anti-d lasts 6 weeks and I had my last 7 weeks ago. Bah!

Anyhoo they take your blood, send it to a lab and then phone you to come back in. You have a 72 hr window from the instance of bleeding, fall whatever to getting the injection. It's a stinger!

Quackles

Grawns wrote: »

FYI ladies I will be getting my 3rd anti-d injection tommorow. Had instances of spotting so it's routine to me at this stage. Just delighted they're not admitting me. Each anti-d lasts 6 weeks and I had my last 7 weeks ago. Bah!

Anyhoo they take your blood, send it to a lab and then phone you to come back in. You have a 72 hr window from the instance of bleeding, fall whatever to getting the injection. It's a stinger!

Holy crap, you're having bad luck - bet you'll be glad to evict that little girl

Grawns

Quackles wrote: »

Holy crap, you're having bad luck - bet you'll be glad to evict that little girl

Luckily I feel 100% , and baby is fine so it's just an annoyance :mad:. I have a large fibroid ( was news to me!) and as my uterus stretches it probably bleeds a little. The policy is to admit you if there is unexplained bleeding after 24 weeks but they let me away with it this time as I can get to the hosp in 15 mins if there is any more spotting. This is a case where o- in your 1st pregnancy plays a part.

Other news ladies of the rotunda.... They've revamped the emergency room and each patient now has a private room rather than a curtain. You now can't hear the discussion between the doc and the other patients anymore and as it is private they let you bring your partner in while they do a trace. Fancy schmancy!

Dfens

Quackles wrote: »

Impossible - the negative gene is recessive, so it's only apparant in your blood type if you carry two instances of it. However, because the positive gene is dominant, if you have one positive and one negative gene, you are still positive. When you and the daddy love each other very much you each pass one of those genes on to the baby. If you both pass on the recessive negative gene, then there you go - a negative baby

Yes, as Quakles said....its all in the genes....!

Bucek

In most developed countries it is a standard medical care to give an injection of Rh antibodies at 28 weeks of pregnancy to ALL women with Rh- blood type. Ireland is an exception to that.

I am Rh- and I feel very uncomfortable with this policy. I have asked my consultant at Holles Street and my GP for help and both said it is nothing they can do. I would be more than happy to pay for the injection and since it is no risk to me or to my baby (I have checked with obstetricians from other countries), I don't see a reason to be denied. Does anybody have an advice on what to do?

littlebug

Why do they give it as standard at 28 weeks?

Grawns

Well it's a bit sneaky but worth it for peace of mind. Tell them you had some spotting or a fall You will have to have an internal and then they will take blood to manufacture the anti-d.

Just saw a baby program this morning on discovery about an rh sensitive mother and she and the baby had an awful time. Blood transfusions and amnios galore and the baby stillended up needing treatment after birth. Prevention is much better than cure as it is a very serious condition.

Oryx

Im O-, and had the anti d when I had my first baby. I dont remember anything about it on the second. It was never mentioned during my first pregnancy, as something to watch or otherwise. I was just told Id get the anti d when the child was born. My kids and I had no health problems at any stage and my second pregnancy had no problems.

I did notice that even if you know the fathers blood group to be negative, they will give you anti d anyway. That was the policy, and its probably wise, I got the impression they like to cover for the odd case where the husband just might not be the actual father.....:)

pat_pitter_pat

littlebug wrote: »

Why do they give it as standard at 28 weeks?

The reason is to avoid maternal sensitization to Rh, which can cause problems in future pregnancies. Silent blood exchange happens in 1-1.5% of pregnancies, and giving it only upon trauma/bleeds/birth misses those cases.

More details, and documentation:

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/complications/whyneedantidexpert/

Quote from the "Merck Manual", the standard reference manual for physicians.
URL: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec22/ch258/ch258c.html

Section: Rh Incompatibility

As a precaution, women who have Rh-negative blood are given an injection of Rh antibodies at 28 weeks of pregnancy and within 72 hours after delivery of a baby who has Rh-positive blood, even after a miscarriage or an abortion. The antibodies given are called Rh0(D) immune globulin. This treatment destroys any red blood cells from the baby that may have entered the bloodstream of the women. Thus, there are no red blood cells from the baby to trigger the production of antibodies by these women, and subsequent pregnancies are usually not endangered.

littlebug

So 1- 1.5 % of pregnancies of which, what 15%?, are rhesus negative, maybe half of whom are having rh- babies (at a guess)

My guesses and bad attempts at statistics tells me that's still over 100 babies that would be affected per 100,000. That's still pretty high risk IMO:( Does Ireland have lower rates of rh- or anything? Or just stricter criteria with regard to cost benefit decisions? Or is it a lot more complex than that?

pat_pitter_pat

littlebug wrote: »

So 1- 1.5 % of pregnancies of which, what 15%?, are rhesus negative, maybe half of whom are having rh- babies (at a guess)

My guesses and bad attempts at statistics tells me that's still over 100 babies that would be affected per 100,000. That's still pretty high risk IMO:( Does Ireland have lower rates of rh- or anything? Or just stricter criteria with regard to cost benefit decisions? Or is it a lot more complex than that?

Actually Ireland has a higher rate of Rh- than the global average.

Could be they got turned off on Rhogam (Rh0(D)) in Ireland due to hep C contamination in the 80s. Or maybe they ran the numbers and it saves money: reduced fertility not entering these cold equations, or even entering on the positive side of the ledger.

LegacyUser

Hi Guys , I am O neg but both my parents are O positive as is my twin sister .
Have had anti D after both my kids were born with A positive blood , which my husband
does not have , but his sister does . Wierd how it works . Anyway , anti d was fine , probably the safest thing you can get now after all the contraversy years ago .

lalalulu

Ok im confused.. Sorry
I am rh neg and my daughter who is 10 months is also rh neg.
When i had her i didn't get the anti d and they sent off babs blood to be tested which as i said she turned out to be rh neg also. Should i of gotten the anti d??? My mam is rh neg and she got the anti d on all her pregnancies (8 in total :eek:) Was it standard 20-30 years ago? And have they changed the rules? I'm worried now