Dangerous ideas about Rhesus negative blood type

[lottieandmia]

I have heard various people online and in RL expressing the opinion that they feel they are immune to disease because they are Rh neg. I'm here to tell them they're wrong!

These people are probably spreading STIs around because they think they can't get them. Where does this ridiculous idea come from?

[reallyanotherone]

I've not heard that?

Interestingly though my mum is rh- and has never had any of your usual diseases, measles, chicken pox etc. She also had to have a certificate exempting her from the small pox vaccine when she travelled to the us, as it "wouldn't take".

Need to do some research!

[sonlypuppyfat]

I'm Rh- and this is all news to me

[MollyRedskirts]

I'm rhesus negative too and I've never heard of it. There are some odd ideas around!

[gamerchick]

I'm negative as well and I never heard of this. I got all the usual childhood illnesses as well. I feel cheated

[atheistmantis]

I've never heard this either, how bizarre.

[lottieandmia]

Well I've had chicken pox and mumps as a child. There are people who think if you're rh neg you can't contract HIV, or your risk is lower.

[lottieandmia]

Gamerchick

The hiv thing is very worrying I think.

[GlitterGlue]

Oh well, world doesn't need eejits like that to survive long enough to breed.

[Bazookapie]

Rh- here and also never heard of this. Had all the usual childhood stuff too.

[Kleptronic]

I'm Rh- and this is bullshit. I've had measles and chicken pox for a start. Mosquitos will cross 20 people to bite me, but this is definitely not a superpower. The only thing about O Rh- is anyone else can be given your blood. Oh and you have to have anti-D injections if you have a baby, to stop you producing antibodies against a future child who's not your blood type. It's universal giving hippie blood, but that's it, there is no more, no special superpowers, no universal immunity.

[RedAndYellowPeppers]

Is there really people thinking that?!?

Rhésus negative for me means higher risk in pregnancy (for the baby of they are rhesus positive). Oh and no siblings as my mum (rhesus negative) was too worried a siblings would end up with some SN due to that. (Long time ago, I know things are different now)

[AndHoldTheBun]

There's some real scientific research which indicates that rh- people are resistant to certain diseases (HIV and bubonic plague for example). But resistance means less chance of catching, not that it's impossible!
People are being idiots if they thing "lower risk" means "no risk".

Rh- exits at a rate of about 15% of the population (which is really quite high), and there has to be a reason why that's the case, given the serious consequences it can have. I guess being resistant to catching plague (or similar) in ancient times increased the overall survival rates of an rh- woman's children (the ones which didn't die as a result of her being rh-). Its a very interesting topic.

[NotTheBelleoftheBall]

I'm Rh- does this mean I'm IMMORTAL? I'd always suspected!

[AuldHeathen]

I've never heard that bollocks. I have lots of things wrong with me, as did my mum, and we have - past tense in my mother's case - rh neg blood. Mind you, my brother is rh neg too and he's quite healthy. Must be just rh neg men it applies too.

I've also heard people say if you have autoimmune disease you are less likely to get cancer. Sadly it doesn't work like that.

[toffeeboffin]

What about rh+? Are we just normal mortals like everyone else?

[Okite]

Ooh as a rh- person with a couple of autoimmune diseases, sounds like I'm on a winner then! 😅 If only!

[HuckleberryGin]

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728066/

[whatatod0]

I'm O- and I've been ignorant to all of this! Never really understood the implications for a second child either. I just just took the Anti D injections and thought no more about it.
To save me googling, can someone explain what being O- means please?

[highlandholiday]

I'm rh- and have never heard of this. I did show as immune to tb though when we had the skin prick test at school.

[allypally1983]

I'm b rh- and I never had any major illnesses as a child. Have never had anything more than a cough/cold to date!!! Only ever been in hospital once to have DD. Never broken anything either. I now believe I am a special one!!!! 😂

[PieceOfTheMoon]

This must be true. I'm rh- and have never once had the plague

[jaws5]

I'm Rh- and that's bollocks, unfortunately! Never heard of it, and I only found out about my blood type when pregnant, and subsequent pregnancies needed monitoring. Weird!

[Okite]

To save me googling, can someone explain what being O- means please?
In relation to pregnancies, basically rh- blood can produce antibodies which will attack rh+ blood if it is exposed to any (as can happen during childbirth).
It doesn't (usually) matter for the first baby because your blood doesn't get a chance to mix until the end when the baby is being born.
But for subsequent babies it could be fatal IF you have produced the antibodies and IF the baby has +ve blood.
The anti-d injection is to prevent you making the antibodies.

[BeyondUnderthinking]

I'm A- and have had measles and mumps despite having an mmr, plus I have had chicken pox twice (though DH is + and he has had it three times )

I do seem to be immune (or at least assymptomatic) to cold sores though

Mosquitos will cross countries to get to me too!!