Blood transfusion needed

[Nicky_Jones]

I have just heard from my Gran, that my cousin (who is PG but I am not sure how many weeks) has had to go into hospital for a blood tranfusion for her baby. Does anybody know what the reason for this could be? How common is this? How serious is this? This is her second if it makes any difference.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Squiglet]

Was her first baby born with any kind of rash? Or was the baby ill at all?

There is a rare condition called Rh immunisation. which causes the mother's antibodies to break down the baby's red blood cells, and causes anaemia and heart failure. The baby inherits the blood of that father instead of the mother. The mothers immune system then goes on to attack the healthy red cells of the baby as a threat.

However usually, both mother and baby require blood/plasma transfusions on a regular basis.

This disease though isn't usually picked up until one child has already been born with it. Although most women are tested to see if they are RH negative/positive this is when the baby has a completely different blood type too.

One of the risks to this disease though is premature birth.. basically the womans body eventually rejects the baby completely.

I did find an article on it on the BBC website... but its been happening in the states for a while now...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4173234.stm

 

[fran_23]

really how could that happen in this day and age?
surely they alway check your blood group at your booking
in and give you anti-D if your rhesus negative/positive.
hope your cousin is ok hun! let us know what it is thats wrong with her.

 

[Squiglet]

really how could that happen in this day and age?
surely they alway check your blood group at your booking
in and give you anti-D if your rhesus negative/positive.
hope your cousin is ok hun! let us know what it is thats wrong with her.

They always check your blood group, but they don't always check the father's blood group, and very rarely the baby's.... and if you have O- blood and your baby inherits AB+ from the father for example then that is when there is an issue..

 

[fran_23]

oh its just that my mum is rhesus negative and its rare that the baby would get that bloodgroup too, so i thought they had to just give Anti-D
as standard to anyone with the rare bloodgroups or something,
thats what happened with her but i find it all a bit confusing tbh
i always thought i was type O+
but i found out i'm A+ wheni had hayden.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Thanks for the info. I do remember her first having a rash but I thought it was excema (sp?). I haven't heard how she and baby are yet, we live quite a distance apart so I don't get to see her very often sadly.