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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be broody when I have RH negative status?

109 replies

FortifiedWine · 11/03/2016 20:41

Hi all. Looking from advice from any RH negative mothers who have had more than one pregnancy.

Had a baby in 2011, after finding out I was rhesus B negative, received two anti-D vaccinations during pregnancy to protect the next pregnancy. in 2012, 11 months after my first birth, I found out I was expecting again. I refused the anti-D this time, as (stupidly) I was convinced I'd never have any more children, had a REALLY hard time with hyperemisis to the point I was sleeping on the bathroom floor near the toilet. Plus wasn't too keen on a blood product with whatever else in it being injected into me.

When I'd received this shot the first time, I developed PUPPS straight away, which is basically an unbearable intensely itchy skin condition where you are scratching your skin off 24 hours a day and nothing relieves it except giving birth - so rare that my consultant was the only person who had heard of it - I knew what it was beforehand though as I'd trawled the internet wondering WTH was going on with my body. But consultant agreed that's what it was after a test for choleastasis(sp?) But imagine being SO itchy all over that you literally cannot leave your house, get out of bed, do ANYTHING... at that time I was scratching myself with anything that was around, a pine cone, hairbrush, and at one point a pair of tweezers until I was bleeding. I was admitted to hospital at 39 weeks pregnant because I couldn't bare it anymore. I was awake day and night scratching, making my skin bleed, not knowing what to do. I couldn't focus on my upcoming birth as my entire body ITCHED like crazy. It really was something else.

At that point, they kept me in and gave me a sweep and some anti histamines. Whilst they helped me sleep, I still itched. I was crazy angry with everyone and everything at that point, it's bad enough going through late pregnancy without that! However, another sweep later and I gave birth on my due date. Itching went instantly.

So in 2012, upon discovering I was pregnant again I was TERRIFIED. However, I didn't get it second time, amazingly! I was so happy. But as I'd refused the anti-D, believing that had caused it and I wanted no more children, I am now (four years later) thinking of having another child. I am getting towards my 30s and (if it makes a difference) the father would be different to the first two. Am I able to have another baby? The doctors and midwife said I would be high risk as I haven't had the shot in my second pregnancy and there's nothing they can do except monitor my antibodies. Worst case scenario... the baby is stillborn. Best case... it needs a blood transfusion in the womb and will be in special care after with jaundice and other problems. I have also been told that if I was impregnated by a RH negative donor, there would be no issue as blood wouldn't mix.

So I am now looking at sperm donation, which is obviously expensive especially if it doesn't work. I've also been told that the blood mixing rarely occurs anyway, even if I got pregnant by RH positive partner. Not sure what to think. Don't want to risk it obviously, but also don't want to spend thousands on sperm donation in a clinic that may not work?!

OP posts:
ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 21:53

I can't believe an obstetric consultant would have told you such things OP - your information seems inaccurate - they should have given you a blood test to see what antibodies you have, if any (hopefully none).

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 21:57

You said the doctors and midwives gave you this info - when was this? Sounds a lot like scaremongering to me. If it was in or just after your last pregnancy they may have been pissed off about your non-compliance with the anti-D program.

JanetOfTheApes · 11/03/2016 21:59

but I met a homeopath who claimed she could change the babys' blood to negative should I get pregnant

Just when you thinkyou've heard it all from these charlatan wankers.....!

FadedRed · 11/03/2016 22:02

My mother is also B negative, and could not hold a pregnancy down after I was born, and even had an ectopic at 30. She was never offered a shot. But this was many years ago when I don't think where the medical knowledge was there about this sort of problem tbh.
You say you are on your late twenties, Op, Rhesus haemolytic disease was very well known about then and Anti D available when needed. That you and your mother were both Rh-ve would mean that Anti D would not have been given because it was not necessary. Her unfortunate obstetric problems were therefore not necessarily connected to her Rh status.
Please ask for referral for pre-conceptual counselling to ensure you fully understand your situation, as you do sound somewhat confused.
And ignore the nonsense from the homeopath.

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 22:06

they checked for antibodies during second pregnancy and after, and there were none

Sorry - missed this crucial bit of info. You do NOT have a problem. Double-check your antibodies pre-conception, have the anti-D during any subsequent pregnancy.

Where have you been getting your info from?!

chickindude · 11/03/2016 22:06

I'm AB neg
1st child also AB neg
DH O positive
3 subsequent children O positive.

Had Anti D all fine.

Thethingswedoforlove · 11/03/2016 22:12

I am rhesus neg and also had puppp with first pregnancy. I had refused the anti d injections so it can't have been caused by that! I didn't get puppp with my second pregnancy. Refused anti d again. But don't want another dc so all ok for me. It is so horrible though I didn't know it was quite that rare....:

DisappointedOne · 11/03/2016 22:13

I had PUPPS too. Horrible horrible condition made worse by the heat of the labour ward and not diagnosed by any professional until almost a week after having given birth by a midwife I'd never met before.

I'm rhesus positive.....

serin · 11/03/2016 22:16

Where have you been getting your info from

Indeed Ridemesideways

Op states she is a health care professional.

happyhearts7 · 11/03/2016 22:16

SoupDragon no, I don't think I would! When I was pregnant with my youngest DS it was thought it was an ectopic pregnancy (they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat & I had horrendous pains, yet blood tests showed the pregnancy hormones).. thankfully after 2 weeks they detected his heartbeat in the womb.
Then at the end from about 7 months we were told he wasn't growing (expected to be a very low birth weight) & there was a shortage of oxygen going to his brain, we were petrified. We had weekly scans & checkups and thankfully when he was born (early) he was a very healthy weight and was perfect.. so yes they got that wrong. I had always wanted another baby but after all that worry I said never again!
So from where I'm standing I would say no, I personally could not take that risk!

LucyBabs · 11/03/2016 22:18

I'm curious as to why some of you refused the anti d?

FortifiedWine · 11/03/2016 22:19

ridemesideways - So are you saying if I have no antibodies before pregnancy it will be okay? Because I think this is what I'm not being told by professionals. I'm not really aware about antibodies before/after/during pregnancies if that makes sense. I've never really been sure about what would and wouldnt cause problems for me - differentiating opinions on the internet, don't really know anyone in my situation, doctors and nurses say they are unsure... it's quite distressing.

OP posts:
Fitzers · 11/03/2016 22:27

I'm rh-neg and have had two children (and a very early miscarriage in between them). With the first child I knew my rh status and that my husband was rh-pos before I got pregnant. Did not need anti-d after the first as baby was rh-neg. Had the anti-D after a subsequent early miscarriage as a 'just in case' on the recommendation of the doctor and also had it during the pregnancy and after the birth of my second child who, it turns out, is rh-pos even though, at this point, we aren't planning any more children, you just never know though what you might decide in future. I had no issues or complications with either of my two successful pregnancies, my rh status played little part, apart from having the injections for the second.

FortifiedWine · 11/03/2016 22:29

happyhearts7 Sorry that happened to you. Are you RH neg? If not then I'm sure it's probably a case of every pregnancy is different :)

Serin Yep, I work in healthcare, but not really anything to do with pregnancy/birth, something quite unrelated, hence the confusion!

It would be interesting to hear from mums who had not had the jab for whatever reason and gone on to have healthy pregnancies.

OP posts:
jellycat · 11/03/2016 22:30

I had PUPPP with my third pg and can confirm that the itching is horrendous.

I'm also Rh neg. I had anti-D after a miscarriage and then after my first birth. The guidelines changed in between my second and third pregnancies so with ds2 I had anti-D antenatally, and then postnatally as well. I was an immunologist at uni and can't think of any reason why the injection could possibly cause PUPPP so I think that it must have been coincidence.

OP, you've had some sensible advice on here about getting your antibody levels checked. Good luck!

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 22:30

To put it simply FortifiedWine, if your body has not made antibodies, there is no concern.

It's the antibodies that are created if the bloods mix during pregnancy or birth. The antibodies could then attack subsequent pregnancies if the baby is Rh+

No antibodies, no problem. I'd double-check your blood to be sure, but at present, if no antibodies, you are in the same position as you would be if you HAD accepted the anti-D in your 2nd pregnancy.

Woodhill · 11/03/2016 22:32

Yes 3 pregnancies and had injection after each dc.

jellycat · 11/03/2016 22:33

If you have no antibodies before getting pregnant that is no guarantee that it will be ok I'm afraid. You would have to be monitored throughout a pregnancy.

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 22:33

Anti-D is the agent given that STOPS the antibodies forming, JUST IN CASE a Rh- mother's blood has mixed with an Rh+ baby's blood.

PoshPenny · 11/03/2016 22:34

I'm a bit baffled by all this. I am O- and my first child was +, my second one -, I had the anti D injection after she (no2) had been born and they knew what her blood group was. That was nearly 21 years ago. it was never offered to me at 28 weeks. I think you need more information to make your decision, but agree with PP that finding a sperm donor seems a bit extreme.

coconutpie · 11/03/2016 22:37

Faded Red - op's mum wouldn't have needed anti D after giving birth to op as op is Rh-. However, if her mum had previous DC or miscarriages and those babies were Rh+ that would have caused issues for future pregnancies (where the foetus was Rh+).

OP - if you have no antibodies RIGHT NOW, then that is good news. Antibodies only start to manufacture themselves if your blood mixed with Rh+ blood. Once blood mixed, you have 72 hours I think to prevent antibodies forming. If you do not get anti D within this time frame then antibodies manufacture and then they are there til the day you die - once they are there, that's it, can't undo it.

jellycat · 11/03/2016 22:38

Ride me sideways is wrong I'm afraid. Antibodies are proteins and do not necessarily persist in the bloodstream for very long. But if you were sensitised, you will always have immune cells (memory T cells) which are ready to spring into action and produce new antibodies when you are exposed again to the Rh positive antigen. Immunologically, this is how vaccines work, and it's the reason why you do not usually get diseases like chickenpox more than once.

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 22:39

PoshPenny - the anti-D program has changed over the years.

If you were having your two babies today, you'd be offered prophylactic anti-D during both pregnancies and following each birth, unless it is known that your baby is Rh- ...

ridemesideways · 11/03/2016 22:41

jellycat - OP said she was tested during and just after her 2nd birth (where she received no anti-D) and was never found to have antibodies. They would most likely have shown up, no? It's surely rare that her body would launch an attack on a subsequent pregnancy with an Rh+ baby?

coconutpie · 11/03/2016 22:41

PoshPenny - hospitals seem to have different policies re anti D. Some give it at 28w and then after birth and if needed during pregnancy if there is a bleed or if the woman is involved in a fall, car accident etc (anything which could have caused trauma to the foetus). Other hospitals don't give anti D at 28w, only after birth.

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