Rhesus injections

[Fae1989]

Hello ladies
I've got my 15 week appointment this week and I'm A- so I had a blood test at 12 weeks to test the baby's blood type (basically so I don't have to have Anti D injections if it's the same blood type as me). Has anyone been through similar? Did anyone else find out the results of this test at their 15/16 week midwife appointment?

Thank you :)

[DinoMamasaurus]

Hi - yes I have the same. If you’ve had the bloods taken already hopefully your midwife will have the results.

In my first pregnancy (2.5 years ago) they didn’t have the test for the babies blood so I had the Anti D injections anyway. Then they tested at birth but I didn’t need another one then as he was neg too. This time baby is RH+ so I’m booked for the Anti D injection next month.

No issues with the injections last time. They send you a little card to carry in your purse to say you need Anti D as a precaution if you have any bleeding/bumps that could cause potential bleeding where yours and baby’s blood could mix.

[Chickenfillets]

Can i just jump on to ask how they test the babies blood. They didnt test it in my previous pregnancy (3.5 years ago) so just curious as to how they do it?

[Chickenfillets]

Ahhh i see you said that they tested at birth.... nevermind ignore me 😳

[onemorego2019]

Ooh I'm interested too. This is new I'm ABneg so virtually rocking horse blood for me as it's so rare!

[Purplepricklesalloverhisback]

I’m 34 weeks and missed the cut off for the NIPT as our area have only just started it. I’m also A- and so had my anti D injection at 25 weeks.

I had it with DS1 at 25 weeks but didn’t need another after birth as he was also RH-.

The injection is fine, doesn’t hurt and didn’t make my arm ache anywhere near as much as my flu jab! They will give it at the start of your appointment so that they can observe you for 20 minutes afterwards incase of a reaction but it’s rare.

[onemorego2019]

@Chickenfillets I think op said they tested babies blood at 12 weeks? So not after birth (test cord/placenta) as they have done previously?

[Purplepricklesalloverhisback]

@chickenfillet it’s a test called the NIPT, sometimes called The Harmony Test. Used to only be done privately but the NHS have just started doing it in Rh- mums to check babies blood group and avoid unnecessary anti D jabs.

It’s just a blood sample taken from mum. They can extract babies DNA from it after 11 ish weeks and so can tell babies blood group.

[Chickenfillets]

@onemorego ah yeah sorry, lack of sleep is obviously getting to me! So my question still stands... how do they test babies blood during pregnancy?

[Chickenfillets]

@purpleprickles thanks

[onemorego2019]

Thanks @Purplepricklesalloverhisback so being rh neg gives me a free NIPT? Great considering I'm ttc at 40! Assume this is every hospital now x

[Purplepricklesalloverhisback]

It’s very clever science!

Privately it costs about £500 in my area but it can tell gender and can do the Downs/Edwards etc screening to a much more accurate level than the usual NHS methods.

[Purplepricklesalloverhisback]

@onemorego2019 I am not sure if every NHS trust has rolled it out yet. I’m 34 weeks and they hadn’t quite started it in my area when I was 12 weeks.

I also don’t know if they will screen for anything other than babies blood group through it, you would have to ask your midwife. I know it’s possible to screen for other things as the private Harmony Test does but I don’t know if the NHS will be doing that.

[onemorego2019]

Ah ok, good to know though so I can ask...if and when it happens xxx

[DinoMamasaurus]

It’s a test that is very much like the NIPT but not the NIPT as they are just looking at blood type and nothing else. They can pick up baby’s DNA in your blood. Very impressive really and I think relatively recent (it wasn’t 2.5 years ago when I had my first.

Also if you do need Anti D you only get one injection in pregnancy now. Whereas first time around I had two. I think you still get another after the birth.

[Paradyning]

It's not the harmony test.
They sample the foetal DNA that's present in the mother's blood. Same principle as harmony but the analysis is different

[Mirardosa]

I had the foetal blood test at 12 weeks. A midwife came and got me from my 12-week scan to offer me the test and I had the blood taken there and then.
I found out the results before my 16 week appointment, they wrote to me about 2 weeks after saying the foetal blood type is RH+ and gave me an appointment date to have anti-D.
As others have mentioned, the harmony test doesn't tell you the blood type, I had this at 10 weeks also.