Rhesus Negative factor

[mandspice]

Does anyone have Rhesus Negative blood? I do and not sure what my partner is yet, he'll get tested soon. Anyone know how this affects things? Thanks

 

[fothers]

I am negative and my partner is positive- it means you need a couple of anti rheusus injections later in pregnancy.

 

[mandspice]

Thanks Lisa

 

[Sal C]

If you are rhesus negative it means that your body is not used to the rhesus antigen.
If your first baby is rhesus positive some blood is likely to be mixed at delivery so your body produces antibodies to the rhesus antigen.

This only makes a difference if your next baby is rhesus positive as your body will have antibodies to it and will cause problems.

Giving the injections makes sure you don't produce the antibody so that future pregnancies are safe.

Hope that makes sense - it is a bit complicated!!!

 

[mandspice]

Ok, thank you! I had an injection after my last pregnancy (ectopic) but it wasn't really explained properly at the time.

 

[andreag]

The treatment for RH- is different in different areas. I am - and OH is + and I got tested for anti-bodies at 28 weeks. I will only get the injection if the baby is + when they tst the cord after delivery. It is possible to have a - baby even if H is + as a + person can carry a recessive - gene (both of my parents were +)

My friend lives in a different health authority and she got anti d injections at 28 and 36 weeks, although the baby was - anyway. its important to get checked out if you have any accidents/falls etc which could inadvertandly cause the baby's blood to mix with yours - I was given a card to carry around in case I was in an accident. The anti d can be given at any time within 72 hours though so there is no need to panic.

Sorry for the biology lesson - it worried me and so i did quite a lot of research!

 

[leckershell]

I'm rhesus a negative and so far it hasn't affected me that much but I know on second pregnancys it can be a little problematic and you get monitored more carefully. I had a bump and because of the risk of harming the baby through mixing bloods, I had to have an emergency anti-d. It was ok though and since then I've not had any problems. You just need to make sure if at any point you have to go into hospital, and during your birth, that the staff all know that you're rhesus negative. You get a card come through from the blood people too, to carry around in your purse in case you ever need it.
I had bloods taken at 28 weeks to test if I have the antibody, but I don't have my midwife appointment until next Thursday to let me know the results. Other than the emergency anti-d I had, I think the majority of rhesus negatives have 2 x anti-d's through their pregnancys, and then of course just emergency ones if you really need them. If in any doubt though, after any sort of major bump/fall, get to the doctors the next day.

Sorry, hope that made sense!

michelle x

edit- i just read the post above me which pretty much said what i said..! sorry!
oh also, i think there's only 10%-15% of people who are rhesus negative, so feel special

 

[mandspice]

Thanks a lot for all your replies, it definitely helps, as there's so much to think / worry about at the moment!