Rhesus Negative
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8021
Printed Date: 14 August 2025 at 1:43pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Rhesus Negative
Posted By: flair
Subject: Rhesus Negative
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 12:45pm
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HI ladies
I am about 5-6 weeks preggers and am A negative blood group, my doc told me that if the baby is born rhesus positive then I have to have an injection to counteract the anitbodies (or something) so that I don't reject the baby's blood.. Have any of you ladies had this happen and if so what did it involve? Just wanting to know a little more about it... Cheers !!  ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 1:05pm
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Hello!
I am O-negative myself and my partner is B-positive. During my pregnancy my antibodies were checked every so often with a blood test just to make sure everything was ok, and it always was. I was told that I would need an injection if babys blood group was positive, but he came out A-negative, so no injection for me! I think for your first baby it's ok, and you definitely need the injection as if you don't get it done, any subsequent babies will be affected. Good luck! |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 1:05pm
| I have both times (im o-) I think its more for the next baby rather than the first, if they dont inject the anti d your body starts fighting any neg type or something. Either way it didnt really make much difference to be honest. They gave it to me with Kobe even though he turned out to B+ and Im pretty sure i got it with Addison too. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 1:30pm
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its just a quick jab in the bum...well leg actually i think but up the top.
i had the anti d with toby when they turned him (ECV) in case anything went wrong but turns out he is neg too. but i dont remember them checking me during my pregnancies...cause until bubs is born they cant tell what his blood type will be anyway. (i'm pretty sure thats right.) |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 1:36pm
| I'm B neg and they are just gonna give me the jab anyway sometime after i give birth before testing to see if this bubs is positive or negative. I've been for extra blood tests during my pregnancy because I've got a negative blood type but I can't remember what they were actually testing for exactly. |
Posted By: Skyflame
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 2:56pm
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Im A- and DH is O+. I didnt have to have any special tests or anything, but had to make sure I told my midwife if I bleed at any time during pregnancy so they could give Anti D injection just in case. They normally take a sample of the cord blood and get that tested when baby is born to determine if baby is positive so they know whether you need anti d or not.
The reason behind it is that if baby is positive blood type and you are negative any blood left behind gets fought off like when you have an immunisation and can cause problems for babies in subsequent pregnancies. Unfortunatly Calebs blood clotted so they were unable to test it so I had the injection. It was in the top of my thigh and it wasn't nearly as bad as i thought it would be and I have a real aversion to needles. |
Posted By: Skyflame
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 2:59pm
| There is some more information http://www.bellybelly.com.au/articles/pregnancy/rhesus-negative-pregnancy - Here |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 3:20pm
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I had the Anti D jab early on in my pregnancy with Andrew as i'm O- and we didn't know what DH was at the time. Turned out I didn't need it as DH is A-, so with the pregnancy with Josh we never bothered with the jab. All I needed to do was sign a consent for the jab as it contained blood product. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: flair
Date Posted: 05 June 2007 at 4:16pm
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wow thank you ladies you are a mine of information!!
It sounds like the condition can be pretty well managed, I was a little worried when my doc told me about it. ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: bookwyrm
Date Posted: 06 June 2007 at 8:30am
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I have no idea on my blood type! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 06 June 2007 at 8:33am
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They will test to find out ya blood type when the MW sends ya for your first lot of bloods
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Posted By: bookwyrm
Date Posted: 06 June 2007 at 10:41am
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Ahh cool :) ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: NovemberMum
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 2:08am
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both my husband and I are A- blood so I wont need the anti d injection..yay less injections i have to have the better ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: james
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 7:55am
yep me too i,m a- and i had 8 yes 8 anti d injections as i am rh-neg which is a protein in your blood and as i had spotting during my preggy with james i had to have a blood test and then a anti-d injection into my bum as if the babys blood was to mix with mine my body would pick that up as a forgen body and try to attack it (you will also need the anti-d injection if babys blood is rh-postive after the brith it dost hurt my sister is also rh-neg and didnt need any injections at all ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: Mama2two
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 9:16am
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Congratulations on the pregnancy
It's not so bad. After labour and birth a little jab in the thigh is the last of your worries 
I am AB- and my hubby is 0+. Sam has come out AB+ so I did need the injection. Trust me to give my daughter a rare blood type 
It is a blood product so you will have to sign a form to agree to be given it if you need it. As Skyflame said, they will test the babies cord blood to see if you need it first. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 11:23am
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My mum had it after both pregnancies, as it can affect your blood for subsequent babies and you can get a 'blue baby'. If you don't get the jab and you need it, your next bub could have to have a complete transfusion to clear all of the bad blood.
We're lucky, we're the same blood type so no probs there! |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 11:39am
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I had the injection with my son, but not with my daughter. It was painless - no worries here with it at all. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 2:10pm
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I had it after Maya, and again after the gremlins, but both times they tested the cord blood first. The girls all have their daddy's A+ blood type, I'm O-. I also had anti-d after my last miscarriage, and twice during my pregnancy with the gremlins when I had spotting. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 2:11pm
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Oh and if you are Rh- and bubs is Rh+ he/she is likely to have some degree of jaundice as a result even if you've had the anti d after previous pregnancies. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 2:22pm
i dont think that that is entirely correct. It wont affect your subsequent babies blood. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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emz wrote:Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 5:27pm
yep that's right, Conor was very jaundice after he was born. Nyah was fine, but I didn't have the injection with her. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 7:52pm
All three of mine were jaundiced, Maya was the worst, she was still yellow in patches around her back at 9 months  ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 7:56pm
| Turned out Daniel was Rh+ but luckily he only had a little bit of jaundice.. never knew that there was a link there with jaundice! |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:00pm
I think it is actually, if your blood gets tainted you can pass it on to your next child. Makes sense. That's where the term 'blue baby' comes from, and in severe cases they need to flush out the bad blood and get the right, clean blood type put back in. That's why its important to get the jab. Oh, and the jaundice thing, def is a link, all of my cousins who were diff bloods types to mum were jaundice. My sister was a very mellow yellow - a week in an incubator when they were helping her get through it. |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:05pm
Emz is right, one of the treatments for Rh disease is blood transfusion, either in-utero or immediately after birth. Basically if you don't have the anti d shot and baby's blood mixes with yours during pregnancy/delivery, it will trigger your body to start making antibodies against the + blood cells, and in subsequent pregnancies if the baby is Rh + then those antibodies will recognise it as foreign and attack it. I wrote an article for OHbaby! on it http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/article.aspx?ContentID=1379 - here and if you have any more questions, you can either talk to your LMC, or contact our obstetric expert Dr Anil Sharma http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/OhBabyExperts.aspx?page=ask - here ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:05pm
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Snap Emz, we posted at the same time ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:06pm
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Or actually you posted while I was typing my long-ass reply ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:08pm
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Hehe, short and sweet I say, get in before anyone else!
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:36pm
Blue Baby info i got from http://heart.health.ivillage.com/signssymptoms/bluebaby.cfm - this site here A blue baby is an infant born with a type of congenital heart disease that causes the infant’s skin to have a bluish tint (cyanosis). Cyanosis develops when the tissues and organs of the body do not receive enough oxygen. This, in turn, is caused when much of the blood circulating through the body is “blue” (or oxygen–poor) rather than “red” (or oxygen–rich) to nourish the baby’s tissues. Many different heart defects can cause this condition. Although a blue baby once had very little chance of survival, treatments are now available to help blue babies grow up to live normal, healthy lives. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:41pm
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oh and this about exchange transfusion...
If a doctor determines that a woman has already developed Rh antibodies, then the pregnancy will be closely monitored to make sure that those levels are not too high. In rare cases, if the incompatibility is severe and the baby is in danger, a series of special blood transfusions (called exchange transfusions) can be performed either while the baby is still in the uterus or after delivery. Exchange transfusions replace the baby's blood with red blood cells that have the Rh-negative factor. This procedure stabilizes the baby's level of red blood cells and minimizes further damage caused by circulating Rh antibodies already present in the baby's bloodstream. Because of the success rate of the Rh immune-globulin shots,exchange transfusions are needed in fewer than 1% of Rh-incompatible pregnancies in the United States today. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:51pm
LOL Emma serious typo!!! ------------- |
Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 8:56pm
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re jaundice i GUESS there is always an exception to the rule as my first born has the same blood type as me (a-) and got jaundice very bad he had to have photo theraphy and there was talk of blood trans.. lucky levels came down. 2nd born had 0- (which apparently is the best blood and sort after as it can go into any blood type - so I heard) and 3rd was 0+ and I had to have the anti d twice with him (one for the evc -turning- and other after birth) Both 2nd and 3rd had jaundice but very little..
I heard that if you don't have the anti d after having a positive blood baby your anti bodies can attack any other'fetus' in next pregnancy and in turn miscarry it. (??)  ------------- Ann 
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10) |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 10:00pm
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Maybe they just used to call us blue babies then in the old days? Because in my sisters birth book it had it written down that mum had a shot to supress any 'blue babies' in the future. Hehe.
And I did say that in SOME cases they need transfusions, its not the norm because most people get the shots. If most people didn't get the shots, more babies would probably need transfusions. AnnC - yeah I don't think a jaundice baby is always a diff blood type baby, but it seems common. Jaundice is quite common, even in slight cases though isn't it? I never realised how common it was until a wee while ago. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 10:01pm
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Yep O- is the blood that can go into anyone. The blood doner people here in Palmy are hanging out for me to finish BF so I can donate again. I handed down my O- to both boys. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 10:03pm
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Jaundice can also be undeveloped liver, more common in prem babies for that reason. ------------- |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 10:08pm
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AnnC, there are other causes for jaundice as well as rhesus incompatibility, such as prematurity and immature liver function.
And you're right, if you don't have the anti-d after a positive baby your body can attack the next fetus and cause stillbirth/miscarriage or the need for a transfusion. But as Gandt also pointed out the incidence of babies requiring transfusion or who are miscarried/stillborn because of rhesus incompatibility is incredibly low, especially when viewed in light of the % of the population who have negative blood. Even if you don't have the anti d injection it doesn't *guarantee* that your next positive baby will be affected, it just means you require more monitoring during pregnancy to make sure there are no complications. The anti d injection is given routinely in the States at certain stages of pregnancy, here the risk is considered low enough that you are only given anti d if you have bleeding, trauma or a medical procedure such as ECV or amnio, or after the birth of a baby who has positive blood type. It's important also to understand that anti d is a blood product, so there are certain risks/ethical issues to consider and you'll be given information about that before you have the shot. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 June 2007 at 10:09pm
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Teehee, me and my long posts, you all keep pipping me to the post so to speak.
And LMAO Busymum, that wasn't a typo, I did mean to day long ass ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Skyflame
Date Posted: 22 June 2007 at 8:13am
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Part of the reason they dont give it throught the pregnancy here is because the anti-d is reasonably expensive so have assessed the risk and decided it was low enough that its only needed after bleeding or birth.
I think health insurance may absorb some of the cost in the States so can give you it more often as a precaution. Does not mean it is necessary to have as many as they do in the States though. The do like do things big and out of proportion.
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Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 22 June 2007 at 10:21am
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Thanks for clearing things up for me. Interesting the different points of veiw on things though and how some places do one thing and some do another. I never really got monitored closely for having neg blood except I did have another blood tests done I think around 36 weeks because of it. Reading the post it seems very common to have neg blood - look how many of us have it ------------- Ann
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10) |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: 22 June 2007 at 12:28pm
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Im O- and DD was A+. She didn't get jaundice at all, and I just got a little jab in the leg the day after she was born. No big deal at all. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Mookey
Date Posted: 23 June 2007 at 5:44pm
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Yup. O- is the universal blood type and the one that is in shortest supply. It can be given to anyone and is used in emergencies where there is not enough time to test the blood type of the patient. The downside is that O- people can only have O- administered to them. So all you O- guys and gals, get out there and donate (like my DH) because you never know when you might need to save yourself or your loved ones and others.
P.S. 80% of us will need blood at some point in our lives, but only 4% of NZ donate. http://www.nzblood.co.nz/ - NZ Blood Service ------------- http://www.cushytush.co.nz - |
Posted By: flair
Date Posted: 25 June 2007 at 2:51pm
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Hi ladies,
Just wondering if any of you have had bleeding/spotting during pregnancy how quickly you got the Anti-D injection (if you were RH negative) Cheers ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 26 June 2007 at 7:16pm
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Hi Flair, you might like to open a new thread so everyone sees it again. ------------- |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 26 June 2007 at 7:30pm
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It has to be given within 72 hours. I had it immediately before my d and c with my miscarriage, within a couple of hours of Maya's birth, the day after I had spotting with the gremlins and the day after I had the gremlins. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 26 June 2007 at 7:33pm
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Oh and if you are less than 12 weeks into a continuing pregnancy (ie. you are not miscarrying) you generally don't need to have it as it is your blood rather than the babies that you are spotting, altho some LMC's would do it anyway as routine procedure after any bleeding. I never had it after my first two lots of spotting with the gremlins in the first tri. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: WRXnKids
Date Posted: 26 June 2007 at 8:47pm
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I had spotting and they didnt give me the injection they said its only a factor later on in preg -------------   
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