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My blood type is A- and I've recently heard that I should have had an injection at (I think) 28 & 32 weeks for some reason :confused: but not really sure what it is ???? (DH is A+)
Anyone know about this? I am going to ring the hospital tomorrow and ask them, but just need to find something out tonight as I won't be able to sleep unless I know.
Thanks in advance
Jodi
Thanks for that!
Jodi I am O Rhusus Negative,i have had to have Anti-D with all my pregnancies.
My mum has the rarest blood group and is A RH too,but luckily she didnt have to have Anti-D because i take after my dad who is O RH which is also rare but not as rare as A RH.
Anti-D helps if the baby is Positive blood group and it stops our bloods mixing.Our blood could produce anti bodies which will break down the babies blood cells...its very complicated. The link BellyBelly gave you is very useful.But yes you should have had it done by now,but dont worry,im sure they have it under control.Just mention it too them to double check they havent missed on it needing to be done.
The injection is mainly given at the top of your theigh,i wont lie its abit painful,but its a quick jab.Over in 2 seconds.
I'm O neg and DF is A neg. With my first pregnancy i was told i didn't need the anti-D, so i didn't have it. Luckly DD came out neg too. But this pregnancy i was warned that there is still a slight chance bub could turn out to be pos because both my parents are pos but i came out neg for some reason. So i had the first injection at 28 weeks and will be having the next one in 2 weeks time at 32 weeks. I think it is best to have it if there's even a slight chance of bub being a different rhusus to you, especially if you are neg and your partner is pos.
As skorpy said, it is a bit painful, because the serum is quite thick. Silly me had it in my arm(ouch!) But it's over in no time!
Jodi, I had anti D as well as I am A- and DH is A+. One dose was given during pg and I was given the second after the birth (DS is A+).
The only other thing I will mention is that when they give it to you, you will have to read and sign consent forms because it is a blood product.
Emma I am not surprised they haven't given you any, because you have such a great maternity system in NZ - many midwives come to Australia and are shocked at the rates of intervention ;) And I have to say, I have seen stats from your health system and the outcomes for birth have improved dramatically (including mortality) since NZ adopted the systems.
I never had any jabs during pregnancy and my Ob was a very, very experienced IVF/Infertility specialist who I would actually class as fairly intervention happy LOL. Instead, he gave me two blood tests at the times you are having your jabs, to see if there is a need to have the injection. He is the same with Step B - he doesn't test for it as he believes there is no need and will administer antibiotics only in the instance where infection is evident - e.g. mum getting a fever, membranes ruptured for a long time, baby prem etc - in the risk group but not routinely.
If you have no bleeding or opportunity for the blood to mix (i.e amnio, miscarriage, termination) then there is no reason to suspect the blood can mix - mothers and babies have VERY seperate circulatory systems. Think about it - not only is it a blood product (like you would accept blood for a blood transfusion) but also, antibodies form fairly quickly - after the birth they want to give you the jab within 72 hours to stop the anti-bodies. So, by giving two routine jabs - it kinda defeats the purpose. Who knows when the anti-bodies had the chance to form? Could have been a month ago, could have been two weeks ago. But if you don't have that injection within 72 hours, it will be too late. So I think the idea of routine anti-d in preg is just $$ for pharmaceuticals who spend big money entertaining doctors ;)
It doesn't make sense to give Anti D to people who don't need it. It's for rhesus incompatibility and in any case will only affect a subsequent pregnancy.
i an A- also and was told to have these 2 injections and i think even one at birth. the thing i couldnt figure out is why dont they test mypartner. if he is RH- then surely the baby cant be Rh+ and so i wouldnt need the injections. but they just gave em to me. i got them in the butt and it didnt really hurt, they last for about 30 seconds though.
Rh- is recessive, so it's more likely your baby will be positive. My parents and all my family are +, so no-one knows where it came from.
I am A- and DH is O+, with DD and this pg I was monitored closely. So I have antibody bts every 2 weeks. I can't remember if I had an anti-D after DD's birth?
I'm A- and DH A+, I've been told I need the jabs just in case the bloods have mingled due to an unknown trauma... all the rubbish people tell you it's amazing women had one baby in olden days, let alone more! Like when you cough, hold your tummy else your uterus will tear... OK, holding my tummy does make my body more firm, but I can't believe that coughing or sneezing will tear my uterus! OK, I admit there may be something in it, but how did my great-great-grandparents have 13 children if all these traumas occur?
I was told I don't have a choice about the injections, I have to have them - I wanted to wait until we knew what blood group baby is, but no, that's not allowed any more. There's a chance baby could be group O, or negative - DH doesn't know his parents' blood groups, so we don't know for sure, but anyway.
Rh- babies from Rh+ parents are because the parents have positive blood, but carry the genes for negative (which are overruled, or masked, by the positive genes), which are passed on to the offspring. Like two brown-eyed parents having a blue-eyed child. Rhesus negative people don't have the genes to make rhesus positive blood. Therefore, Tegan, there's no chance your bub could be positive, as you and your DF are both negative.
Ring the hospital where you had your daughter sheree, it SHOULD be on your notes. If you haven't had one, it could be a possible problem, do you know if you have had any antibodies picked up with the current tests? I am assuming they are being overly cautious due to your history...
Ryn - you DO have a choice - it is a blood product and if they do that against your will, they can be done for abuse - serious! Just say no. Hospitals have policies but they are not laws. What will they do, not accommodate you? An Ob in the USA got sued for a cool $3m for performing an uninformed caesarean - dont know the full story but I think he said she needed one when she didnt... the message is getting through.
I dont know what blood group my husband is,so i may not have need the injection anyway. But i suppose they know what they are doing and just let them get on with it.All my pregnancies have been fine.