28 week anti - D injection.... opinions please

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Hi all,

I'm due to have my 28 week anti-D injection within the next week.

I'm in the process of (hopefully) finding out DH's blood group. He received a blood transfusion after an accident late last yr, so the hospital in Oxford must surely have a record of his blood type.

Can I have some opinions re having an anti-D. I understand that it is a blood product.

I have already had one anti-D at 21 weeks due to a slight bleed.

I'd be interested to get some views.

[oops]

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[Hopeitwontbebig]

Hi oops.

A friend of mine is a midwife and she said they don't have that policy in this area... ie have it just in case DH isn't the father!

I'm hoping DH is Rhesus Neg. There's a chance he may be. DS2 is Rhesus Neg, but they didn't test DS1. Also DH's Mum and Sister are rhesus neg too.

[oops]

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[Hopeitwontbebig]

just had a phone call from doctors, and he's A+ (how very dare he!!!!)

Soooooooooooooooooooo, do I have my anti D or not????? I've had many anti D injections over the years, but up until now I was unaware that it was a blood product and that there were any risks associated with it.

Who's in the know about these things.... Mears, Lulumama.....

[Mrsjaffabiffa]

Hi,
I am A- my dh is A+. I have not ever needed to have an anti D due to bleeding and my ds and dd1 are both A- too. I live in France and it was policy here to test for antibodies each month and then take a blood sample on birth and give anti D then if needed. When I became pg with dd2 the policy had changed and it was now to have anti D throughout pregnancy, on discussion with my MW I decided not to have the anti d through my pregnancy and to continu with the old policy. I too was worried about the risks, Dd2 was born and tested and had the same blood group as me and ds & dd1 so I am pleased to not have had any anti d.

Good Luck

[dal21]

Hi HIWBB - I too am rhesus neg and we got DH tested privately (as hosp would not take his blood incase he wasnt father) and he came back rhesus positive. I have read up on it and am definitely having mine. Dont want the risk of anything happening in future pregnancies (it affects future pregnancies, not the existing one, unless you have already had a bleed and there is a risk your bloods could have crossed with the babies).
Personally for me - I will take it so it isnt a concern or risk to any poss future pregnancies.

let me know what you decide

[weebleswobble]

This is going back a few years, but when I had both dcs I had a blood test when I was around 28 weeks to determine whether I needed an anti-d injection. I didn't need one at that stage but had it given when I gave birth both times.

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Mrsjaffa, that's a coincidence, I'm A- and DH is A+ too!! How does that work with LO's blood type, will they def be A something?

From what I know, if there are already antibodies in the blood it's then too late to have the anti D. So it's a prevention rather than a cure.

My friend (the midwife) was really sweet earlier and has dropped me off a midwives information booklet about anti D. I'll have a read up on it this evening. From what she was saying, the risk of having the anti D is much much smaller than the risk of antibodies affecting the baby.

SO at this stage, I'm more than likely going to go ahead and have the anti D.

[mears]

Anti-D is advised during pregnancy to prevent 'silent immunisation'. That is when you have a bleed that has no symptoms and you develop antibodies. That is what happened to me - except I actually had pain at 34 weeks which was dismissed by the GP and I went along with him. Had I had anti-D then, I would probably not have developed antibodies.

Anyway, it is a blood product and we really do not know if there will be any problems related to that in the future. As information stands just now, the risk is minute. If you know that this is your last baby, then you do not need to have it as it is for protection in future pregnancies, not this one.

I myself am not sure about antenatal prophylaxis. In the past women have developed antibodies because they have not been treated when they should have been ie after a miscarriage greater than 12 weeks, amniocentesis, abdominal pain, PV bleeding.

Hopeitwontbebig - you need to research this for yourself and do what you feel is right.

oops - two positive parents can have a negative child if they are both heterozygous positive. That means that they both carry the 'negative' part of the blood. Also a positive dad and a negative mum can have a positive baby.

Negative parents cannot produce a positive child though.

[missyhols]

I had it few times with dd pg due to bleeds and routine. I also had it when she was born. I've got my 28 week tomorrow and only thing i dread is how sore I'll be after! I would not chance not having it.

[wishingfourgotone]

I had to have anti d had one at 34 weeks then another post birth as dd is positive im negative

[clairemagnolia]

www.withwoman.co.uk/contents/info/anantid.html

I found this very interesting when I was Pregnant with my dd2. Turned out my dh is also rhesus neg so glad I declined.

[dal21]

hiwbb - did they test to see if antibodies are already present? my blood is clear so i will want the jab to ensure the antibodies arent formed moving forward.

missyhols - you are another one who said this jab hurts, is it that bad?

[oops]

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[Hopeitwontbebig]

Thanks for that mears, boy you know your stuff!! I was just reading through the booklet my friend dropped round for me and it said that if the father is + and the mother is -, and they produce a - child it means that the father is heterozygous. Fascinating stuff. DS2 is neg. It also means that the 'risk' of us producing a + baby falls to 50%.

Hmm, I'm 100% sure that I won't be having any more babies after this one. But at 32, there are many fertile years ahead of me and the risk of an accident I suppose. Heaven help me should that happen!

Think I'll probably have to go for it.

[PurpleLostPrincess]

((waves at HIWBB!!))

I'm rhesus neg and I'm having my 28 week injection on Friday and I had one at about 23 wks due to a small bleed too. My DH has a serious problem with needles so there's no way of finding out his blood type. He had various operations as a child so my mw did try to check the records to see if they had a note of his blood type but he didn't. Therefore the decision was made to go ahead with the injections anyway as they won't do any harm whereas it might do harm to not have them...

I'm quite happy with this (well, not exactly looking forward to it!) and don't mind being on the safe side...

When I had my m/c and was waiting for emergency surgery, all I remember is the nurses kept telling each other that the Anti-D is in the fridge. They didn't even ask what blood type DH was, they based it on my blood type. Not sure why that was!?

Hope it goes well - see you on our thread! xx

[Hopeitwontbebig]

((waves back))

[oops]

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[Hopeitwontbebig]

oops

[dal21]

HIWBB - morning! Just a little warning (i didnt know this)...they have to put injection into muscle not a vein...and sometimes this can be your bottom!! So be prepared!

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Ooh dal21, I've been there many many times before! I think all in all I've had about 7 anti D injections over this pregnancy and past pregnancies.... and yes, it bloomin hurts!!!!

Not so much the needle bit, but when they press the 'plunger' ouch

It's all good fun isn't it

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Morning to you too!

[dal21]

sorry HIWWB - didnt realise you were an old hand at this. . as a first timer i keep getting little tidbits of info about pregnancy and childbirth that no one has ever told me!

[wishingfourgotone]

I had my anti d in my thigh both times an each time about an hr afterwards it feels as if you been thumped in leg till that spot gone dead!

[heresfor2007]

I am neg and have had numberous anti-D injections due to bleeds and miscarriages - I think the risk of the injections is so much smaller than the risk to future pregnancies, so I will def have the one at 28 weeks. I know a friend who never had any anti-D's (because the hospital forgot/failed to give them to her) and she now has anti bodies. I believe she is now thinking about another baby but that may involve various things like interuterine transfusions and such so for the sake of an injections and v.v.small risk - I'm quite happy to have it, even if it does hurt.
My first injection was in my thigh and I nearly kicked the nurse who was doing it because my muscle suddenly tightened , since then I have always had it in my arm - even though it is a smaller muscle, I find it hurts much less and you don't seem to get the dead arm/leg thing as much.