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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

Why do midwife’s want to test my husband

12 replies

Confusedmum40 · 11/07/2024 18:48

Hey so I’m. It sure if this is a common thing but I just got a phone call from my midwife’s asking to test my husbands blood and when I asked why they just said for antigens. This is my third pregnancy I have a nearly two year old and then suffered a bad miscarriage and have had a lot of bleeding during this pregnancy but have made it to 12 weeks. Does anyone know what they are testing for?

OP posts:
itsallsohard · 11/07/2024 18:49

Blood type, in case of an rh incompatibility?

Original poster
Confusedmum40 · 11/07/2024 20:02

Thanks for the reply ❤️ would that not have been a problem in the first pregnancy?

OP posts:
IdLikeToBeAFraser · 11/07/2024 20:04

The RH is. more likely to become a problem after a miscarriage. As I understand it, that's when the baby's blood and yours mix and then you land up with pathogens or something. Then the risk is for future babies. I know a woman who they suspect miscarried without even knowing she ws pregnant as she has the antibodies and there was nothing in her original birth to make them think that's where she got them.

And they dont' necessariy trust the father to have an accurate knowlege of his blood type.

IDontDrinkTea · 11/07/2024 20:08

Are you a carrier for anything that might have been picked up on a screening test? For example, sickle cell?

tarheelbaby · 11/07/2024 20:08

Their rules change from year to year? I'd just agree for a quiet life since the result is unlikely to make a difference.

When I was pregnant, back in the day (17+ years), the midwife was desperate (insistent) to order a test for HIV. I knew that my DH and I totally did not have HIV but it was a thing she could tick on her form so I agreed. The lab wasted the test and, guess what, we were HIV neg. But she ticked the box; that made her happy and made her a more compatible midwife.

BuffaloCauliflower · 11/07/2024 20:18

Some trusts test all dads as standard as self reporting of the father isn’t always reliable and it’s better safe than sorry. My trust just go on the mothers results

whyyy321 · 11/07/2024 20:25

It'll could be to check for rhesus compatibility as someone said above. If you are rhesus negative (e.g., a blood type like b-) then they'll want to know if the dad is a rhesus + (e.g., a+ blood type). Rhesus positive is dominant I think, so if the dad is rhesus positive then there is a good chance the baby is too. This isn't a problem in a first pregnancy, but can be a problem after a miscarriage. That's because the rhesus + antigens may have crossed to the mums blood stream during miscarriage (or other events, like a big knock to bump or I think possibly during childbirth). Once the mum has rhesus + antigens in her blood, it can make her body see a future baby as "dangerous" and lead to difficulties with the pregnancy. Basically the mums body can mount a sort of immune response to the baby.

They'll check because if you are rhesus - and dad is rhesus +, then they may give you an injection during pregnancy and again before labour, called an "anti d" injection. It prevents (somehow, it's very clever!) the issue of rhesus + antigens entering the body. I know this because I'm rhesus neg and had a rhesus positive baby! I had 2 anti d injections which were fine, no worse then any other injection.

If you already have the rhesus positive antigens they'll just want to monitor you closely and may have things they can offer to support your pregnancy.

HousedInMySoul · 11/07/2024 20:33

tarheelbaby · 11/07/2024 20:08

Their rules change from year to year? I'd just agree for a quiet life since the result is unlikely to make a difference.

When I was pregnant, back in the day (17+ years), the midwife was desperate (insistent) to order a test for HIV. I knew that my DH and I totally did not have HIV but it was a thing she could tick on her form so I agreed. The lab wasted the test and, guess what, we were HIV neg. But she ticked the box; that made her happy and made her a more compatible midwife.

You could have had HIV, though? Your DH could've been unfaithful, or had a blood transfusion and not told you. Not everyone knows everything about their partner.
She was doing her job, trying to keep you and your baby safer by getting as much relevant information as possible, not merely "ticking a box"

Carriemac · 11/07/2024 20:38

So important to rest for HIV, so many people say they could t possibly be exposed and yet some people are unwittingly . Its not for the midwife to make a lifestyle judgement she has to test everyone

Original poster
Confusedmum40 · 11/07/2024 21:56

she had mentioned something about antigens during the phone call so it could be the rhesus thing. Iv been looking it up and is it bad that I have already had a lot of bleeding and haven’t gotten the injection yet if I need it?

ps thank you guys so much for the help❤️

OP posts:
RampantKrampus · 11/07/2024 22:01

Are you rhesus negative though? You’d know about it and would have had anti d previously if this was the case.

Original poster
Confusedmum40 · 11/07/2024 22:04

They have never mentioned it before but could I have not needed the anti d before as I didn’t have the antigens and only got them after my miscarriage

OP posts:
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