Rhesus negative Mums

[SquintySquirrel]

Hi - I'm newly pregnant and doing lots of reading on MN! Have read about extra shots Rhesus negative mums receive - I know that I'm - and my DH is + so this will apply to me but I'm a little worried as when I was much younger I had a termination at about 9 weeks (not the surgical kind, the one with the pills) and so this is my second pregnancy and I'm reading that it's the second pregnancy that's at risk for Rhesus complications.

I have an appt with my GP next week which is my first since getting BFP but I'm worried as I've never told anyone about the termination and I'm afraid it'll be put in my notes and discussed at routine appts when DH is present.

Does anyone know anything about when I should get the shots since I didn't have any in first pregnancy and also if it's likely this topic will be discussed in front of DH? TIA

I think it's standard not to give anti-d if termination/miscarriage before 12 weeks - not sure why.
Normally if you are rh- you get offered the anti-d around 28 weeks, and then again in the first 72 after birth if your baby's blood is Rh+ (so for me I had anti-d after my son, but not after my daughter as she was Rh- too).

I don't think it necessarily is something that you need to discuss with your GP, you might want to raise it at the booking in appointment with Midwife (as I'm not medically qualified to know if everything i've said is correct), and I've always gone to booking in appointment alone as it's a bit boring - blood test, urine test, medical history etc so no real need for your DH to be present. i can't imagine your termination would be discussed routinely as part of any appointments, but I can't be sure

I had a miscarriage at 8 wks then pregnant with my now DS1 and the first pregnancy wasn't counted as such in relation to this so I imagine it'd be the same for you. I just had the jabs as normal later in my DS pregnancy.

I would speak to your GP. I believe they can do a test to see if you have been sensitised or not.

I have to declare to my midwife that my brother was an IV drug user. Even though im quite open about it about and my DH knows she still wrote in my maternity book so that the midwifes would know what she meant but the whole world wouldn't if you get what I mean. I am sure midwifes would come across similar situations all the time where discretion is required.

Thanks - I've been reading about it and all info suggests you should definitely get this shot following an abortion so I'm now sat here petrified and not sure what to do!

Hopefully I can't get a test to see if I have been sensitised and it turns out ok.

Feeling very anxious (even more than I was already!)

I am RH- and had a miscarriage at 9 weeks and didn’t have an anti d shot, and now 29 weeks pregnant and just had my shot. I asked if I should have had one after misscarrying but the midwife said they wouldn’t have offered me one until I had carried for at least 12 weeks. Hope this helps!!

There is also now a blood test they can do during early pregnancy to check where baby is pos or neg. Not sure if all hospitals are doing it. Saved me the injections!

I am RH negative and didn't have anti D when I had an early miscarriage (7 weeks ish).

In my second pregnancy, I was given anti-D after a big bleed at 19weeks. This is because with a bleed there is a risk that you become sensitised.

I then paid to have the test done privately to see if the baby was RH negative or positive (not offered by my NHS trust). Luckily, he was also negative, so that meant I didn't have to have any more anti-D.

In response to your situation: (1) It sounds as if it standard not to give anti-D for a miscarriage or abortion at that early stage of gestation. In my experience they are very very risk averse when it comes to RH factor, so I doubt it was overlooked. (2) Please try not to worry about disclaiming medical history to your midwife or doctors - confidentiality is their strict professional requirement!

Hope you manage to get some more clarity and congratulations on your pregnancy

*disclosing, not disclaiming

They'll do a blood test to see what blood type baby has. Mine is same as me so no shots!!