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Rhesus negative - can I just have anti-D injection AFTER baby is born?

9 replies

LadyMetroland · 29/04/2009 17:03

My hospital has a policy of giving the anti-D injection at 28 and 36 weeks regardless of whether it's first baby or not (this is my first)

But I really don't want to be injected with a blood product unless it's absolutely vital, so can I ask for it to ONLY be given at the birth, if needed? Or do I have to have all three injections for it to work properly?

advice gratefully received!

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Bucharest · 29/04/2009 17:12

Don't know tbh- but I know it's not such a big thing with your first...the problem arises if you still have rhesus antibodies hanging around were you to go on and have a rhesus positive baby in the future....
Why exactly don't you want the jab now if you will have to have it afterwards in any case?

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olivo · 29/04/2009 17:12

it's your choice as far as i know. where i am, we no longer get the 28 or 36 week prophalatic ones, just the one after the birth if the baby is positive( unless there is an injury to the abdomen whilst pg. so they must work as individual doses.

I would imagine they will go with your request.
good luck

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LadyMetroland · 29/04/2009 17:13

If the baby is born negative then I won't have to have it at the birth. If baby is positive then so be it, but at least I'd only have one injection not three

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MustHaveaVeryShortMemory · 29/04/2009 21:22

You can do whatever you want. Routine administration is a relatively new idea as it was once considered unsafe for the foetus.

I've been unable to find any research that has looked into the short/long term effects of anti-d on the unborn baby (doesn't mean there isn't any and I'd love someone to point me in the direction of some).

The risks to the Mother appear to be minute.

I found this article quite interesting www.withwoman.co.uk/contents/info/anantid.html.

As Olivo says, if you had some sort of trauma (eg a seatbelt injury) you might want to consider having it during pregnancy.

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Hawkmoth · 30/04/2009 11:24

I'm having routine this time, last time was just down to have it after birth but had a slight bleed so had it then. They've changed the policy in the last three years! I read somewhere that it was because of the number of people suffering domestic abuse in pregnancy and not feeling able to report it.

First baby was Rh -ve anyway.

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MustHaveaVeryShortMemory · 30/04/2009 11:38

LadyMetroland - Just thought, do you know what blood type your dh is? If he is negative you will have a negative baby and don't need the anti-d. They wont tell you this at the hospital though - in case you're lying about the Father!!

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oopsagain · 30/04/2009 11:44

i was given the injection without much preamble when i started bleeding in preg.

I am negative and so is dh.

The injection had gone in when i realised that i didn't really need it...

so i asked why they hadn't discussed it more fully with me, and the explination was that dh may not have been the father- and the hosp staff act for the baby

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ZoeC · 30/04/2009 11:46

I'm negative, but here it is only given if the baby is positive and I never had it so I guess both dds are rhesus negative.

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LadyMetroland · 30/04/2009 18:02

MustHaveaVery - am thinking of asking dh to get tested for that reason. But would be furious if any medical staff insinuated that he might not be the father!

thanks for the article link too