Rh.neg mums - has anyone refused anti-D and regretted it?

[pacinofan]

Hi, am 36 weeks pregnant, currently trying to decide whether to accept/decline anti-d following the birth of dd2, assuming of course she is rh. postitive.

DH and me are 100% positive that we do not want any more children so feel that giving anti-d is unneccessary. My midwife feels uneasy about me declining it, but this may be because it is a blanket hospital policy to give it to all rh.neg mums, regardless of their wishes.

My main concern is having what is after all a blood product which may be totally unneccessary. I know that blood products are screened nowadays, but mistakes happen (big case in Ireland a few years ago) and I really don't want it if it isn't necessary.

Has anybody else declined it and lived to regret it? Any advice gratefully received.

Thats good news then, i thought i was going to have to prepare for a fight. hopefully i get an understanding midwife on friday when i go for my appointment.
i have a 6 and 8 year old and it wasn't routine when i was pg with them either, although i never found out whether my kids are pos or neg, hopefully they will tell me this time and maybe i will never need an anti-d again.

Im rh neg and had the injections after first two babies (they were both rh pos). I remember thinking after the 2nd baby about declining the injection because I knew I did not want any more children. But decided to have it anyway. I did fall pregnant with no 3 unexpectedly who also turned out to be rh pos (and yes I did have injections in and after 3rd pregnancy). So I am glad I did have the injections. You never know what is round the corner

Every time I go to give blood, I'm made to feel rare and special. This is the first time I've ever "met" any fellow Rh.neg-ers. Hello to you all, you universal donors.

MrsMuddle, they are only universal donors if they are blood group O as well as being Rh neg (but of course we are all special ).

what is the bum thing all about?!!! had it in rear halfway through pregnancy and then after birth when told i had to have another dose i got ready to procure my derriere and was given a strange look and asked to roll up my sleeve. don't mind arm injections so why couldn't i have had it that way during pregnancy when i was already suffering in many ways!

Haven't read the whole thread but I'm Rh.neg and refused anti D - although I would have had it if I'd had a fall etc.. I don't regret not having it although at the time I was really torn about whether to or not. I don't even remember it from DS1 - I don't think it was an option then. Luckily both Ds's were Neg too so I didn't have to worry about it after I'd had them.

Many thanks for all your responses. On balance, think I shall be refusing it post birth. I don't give a hoot about having injections, but I do have issues about being given blood products that are probably unneccessary. I guess it comes down a lot to how much faith I have that it has been properly screened for disease, and the truth is I have fears of contracting something from receiving unscreened blood products. If it was a life or death situation then fine, I would take the chance and hope the blood was ok, but it isn't so will likely decline it.