Planning DC2 and rhesus negative blood-group

[Enraha]

Had all the jabs first time round and no troubles, DH and DD are +tive. So what would be in store for me/them for 2nd/subsequent DCs?

Also had Em-section with DD.

[policywonk]

They monitor your antibodies throughout the pregnancy (a couple of extra blood tests - yippee!), and if your blood shows signs of sensitisation, they give you some anti-D to get it under control.

Then they'll test you again after the birth and probably give you anti-D as a matter of course.

This is what happened with me on my second pregnancy anyway. There were no problems.

[misdee]

am on 4th pregnancy and am rh-

with first two, what policywonk said.

with 3rd and this 4th, NICE policy is followed at my hospital.

usualy blood tests, and then anti-d jab at 28 and 36 weeks as a matter of course, then another after giving birth if baby is rh+

[ilovetochat]

i am -ve but dp was tested and told he was -ve ttoo so didn't bother with anti-d as baby would be -ve (had car carsh and bleeding during pregnancy). when dd was born she was +ve???? dp retested and was found to be minority -ve with miniscule +ve too. had anti-d day after birth but very worried now that future pregnancies would have problems. anybody know anything to reassure me?

[policywonk]

lovetochat - I think you'll be OK, you still had the anti-D pretty promptly (I didn't have it for a good 24 hours after my second birth).

I'm surprised they bothered to test your DP - in Brighton they didn't bother to test the dads, as they said that in about 10 per cent of cases the father wasn't who the mother said it was anyway , so the results wouldn't be reliable.

[misdee]

ilovetochat, i think you need to be checked for antibodies before you consider another pregnancy and get medical advice

[misdee]

policy, i would say she needs tobe3checked for antibodies due to crash and bleeding (after 12 weeks, any bleeding needs to be followed up with a jab)

[ilovetochat]

they didn't offer to test im but we are against using blood products unless absolutely necessary so asked to have test.
Actually when dd was born they waited for dp to go and and told me she was +ve, i felt like they were accusing me of sleeping around and nearly cried (hormonal). I think it was more that 24 hours before i had the anti -d?

[policywonk]

Yes misdee, it sounds as though you know more about it than me - my pgs were always very uneventful (thankfully).

[ilovetochat]

bleeding was at 9 weeks and crash was at 12 weeks but no bleeding after crash.

[misdee]

anti-d needs to be given within 72hourrs IIRC.

you should be ok, but i would ask for your anti-bodies to be rechecked with a blood test and see what the results ae before you start trying again.

[Oblomov]

Interesting the different policys at different hospitals/ areas.
At ours, all rh - ladies are given anti d inj at 28 weeks. Only one inj. Unlike misdee, not another at 32.
Thuis is not dependant on tests or antibodies or anything, it is recommended to all rh - ladies. Then baby born and if , now this is the bit i can't remmeber, so bare with me, if babay is also neg, nothing is done. It is only if baby is positive, then inj given , has to be within 24 hrs, I think.

[Enraha]

Thanks. ilovetochat, hope yours gets resolved.

In my bit of London, I had 2 standard anti-D jabs during 1st pg (one quite early on, one at 28 weeks). Plus I had another one at 14-weeks after a bleed and they tested for antibodies, then one after the birth.

I was told that first pg's weren't likely to be a problem, it was subsequent ones, as you might be transferring the 'wrong' antibodies through the placenta having been infected by your +tive baby at birth. Hence why I asked, but doesn't sound like it's a big problem.