I know I know it's been done before - but Anit D - Mears, help me!

[Flossam]

I have nevr quite managed to get my head around this, or perhaps I have and just have convinced myself I haven't - basically I am confused! I gave birth to DS last year, I was rhesus negative and DS was positive. I had one dose of anti D prior to giving birth, through human error I missed the first dose. I had another dose after giving birth to DS. Well you know how a little knowledge is dangerous? I looked up my bloods from then and found that I did have antibodies. Now will the injection of Anti D have cleared that up? And do we know that it will have done definately? Or will I be at risk in future pregnancies. The message from heamatology said that extra notice would be required for blood transfusions because of my antibodies. Anyone able to enlighten me?

[Flossam]

anit d - actually that probably hasn't been done before!

[Flossam]

It does mean I'm screwed dosen't it? Shit shit shit. I gave birth to DS at 23.45 pm, i didn't have the anti D till the following lunchtime, was that too late? I bled a lot during labour. They mislabelled the first set of bloods they took.

[SoupDragon]

They'll check for antibodies if/when you're pregnant again anyway.

[SoupDragon]

It's not all doom and gloom - I'm a Rh +ve baby from a rh -ve mother with antibodies. Had a bit of a rocky start but medicine's come on a lot in the last 30 odd years

[Flossam]

Thanks soupdragon. I have yahood it and found why it is given and things, but not really what happens if anti bodies do develop. Have searched here too, with not much success. Am worrying still really.

[CarolinaMoon]

This is a just bump really.

My hospital gave anti-D injections during pg and I'm sure my blood test after the first injection said 'antibodies present' or something like that. Don't have a copy to check though. I seem to remember asking the MW if that was right and she said yes.

Ds (my first pg) is Rh-ve, so it couldn't have been from him.

[Flossam]

thank you cm! i'm still stressing, i know i'm probably doing it all wrong but there does seem to be a lack of info about this. Mears I know you are very busy but I really would appreciate some advice if poss. I would really like another baby at some point but don't want to put a baby at risk. Maybe I should go to docs next week and see about it all.

CM, if you baby was neg, I would have thought that you must have been exposed to the antibodies at some other time - is you DP/DH positive blood group?

[CarolinaMoon]

DP doesn't know his Rh type. We don't tend to share our blood though, am not Angelina Jolie .

I got the impression from the MW that the 'antibodies' on the blood report were what the Anti-D injection was supposed to provoke - seemed a bit odd to me though, too much for my poor pg brain.

[mears]

Flossam - I posted on your other 'have I jumped the gun' thread.

The answer is probably yes!

At 34 weeks you should have had an antibody test before you got anti-D. Now the anti-D that you did get will show up as antibodies on your blood test post delivery (it will still be present after 6 weeks). It is a problem for the lab to differentiate between the two so it has to be notified on the form you had antenatal prophylaxis.

Have you checked your antibody status at 34 weeks? If not, ask your GP to check for you. It should have been done and I would expect the result was negaive or you would have known about it.

Anti-D can be given up to 72 hours post delivery

Our unit has delayed routine antenatal prophyaxis until all these problems have been sorted out. It will start soon.

As you may remember Flossam I have anti-D antibodies and went on to have 3 further children. Antibodies appeared in pregnancy number 2 at 37 weeks. Baby was fine. Next 2 babies were affected but successfully treated post delivery. Despite that I still do not agree with routine antenatal prophylaxis i have to say.

By all meams go and see your GP and get your status checked now. Hopefully all will be fine.

[mears]

Carolinamoon - I would find out your DH's blood group. If he is Rh negative, you will not need anti-D in future pregnancies.

[mears]

this explains it in more detail

[CarolinaMoon]

i know mears - tried to when I was pg but not even his mum knows.

[Flossam]

Thanks again Mears, only just seen this here. I didn't have bloods taken since I think before 30 weeks, although will check this when I go back to work. My main concern is the abdo pain when I went into hospital, although I will check to see if bloods were taken following this (I don't think they were) and then take it from there, check how the blood was labelled (all electronic where I work) then maybe go and see GP next week if I am still concerned. Thanks again for all your help. x

[mears]

CM - get him to donate blood - always needed and he will get to know his blood group too

[CarolinaMoon]

will try my best , thanks Mears

[mirashark]

I am Rh- and after a lot of research etc refused the Routine anti-d having weighed it up I preferred the slightly increased risk of developing anitbodies as opposed to the unknown of the effect of anti-d on the unborn in utero. Happy with my decision especially as it's my first pregnancy and will get anti-d post partum if baby is rh+.
I was not tested for sensitisation though, except initially with all my regular bloods. But not at 28 or 34 weeks or anything. I wonder is it too late to get it now that I am nearing 39 weeks?

[mears]

Are you sure you weren't tested? It is usually done at same time as haemaglobin tests at 28 and 34 weeks. Wouldn't surprise me if it was done and you weren't told.

[lunachic]

i am rh neg my ds is positive i only had anti d post natally with him
and my second pregnancy with dd was fine only had anti d post natally with her too-dont know if she is + or -

[lunachic]

i didnt get asked if i wanted anti d before id had either of my children obviously different hospitals have very dif. policies(as we know)
am getting confused about it all now !

[mears]

lunachic - your dd must be +ve too, that is why you got anti-D.

The routine prophylaxis, although it is a national guideline, is not actually agreed by everybody. My own unit is just about to implement it now. It means women -ve women will be pffered anti-D at 28 weeks and 34 weeks and then again post delivery. It is being offered hopefully to prevent rhesus disease that can happen following 'silent' bleeds.

I personally have rhesus antibodies which could have been prevented if I had been given anti-D when I had an episode of severe abbominal pain at 34 weeks into my second pregnancy. I must admit when that I didn't recognise the need for it myself either so my antibodies could have been prevented by routine administration.

However, desite that happening to me I do not think that all women should get it regardless. I think if the existing guidelines were folloed more closely ( some women still are middes after delivery, at amniocentesis, abdominal pain etc), then the numbers of women sensitised would reduce.

The number of sensitised women is actually incredibly small. I personally think rhesus negative women should make sure they know their partners blood group before having anti-D during pregnancy, If he is -ve, they don't need it.