Chances of ABO incompatibility with next child?

[BonesyBones]

Can anyone please explain this to me? DS2 was born in 2014 with jaundice and an ABO incompatibility. He was transferred from the midwife-led unit to SCBU (because there was no space on the postnatal ward) to have his bilirubin (?) levels checked daily, he was under the blue light (I think phototherapy?) for 5 days and given folic acid daily for a month.

I'm pregnant with DC3 now. I have O negative blood group and partner has A positive.

I thought the anti-d injection prevented things like this, but obviously not (although I did have it at 30 weeks rather than 28 if that makes any difference).

I was just wondering what the chances of this happening again are? Is it completely random? Is there any way to prevent it, or minimise the chances?

I had a traumatic experience with the birth of DS1 and the post natal care did not help with that so I'm particularly worried about ending up in a post natal ward with DC. Obviously that might not really be a choice I get to make but if there's anything I can do I'd rather try to avoid the hospital stay.

I've been booked in with Dr Mathers at Princess Royal in Glasgow and although I haven't met him yet I hear very good things, so hopefully he can shed some light on the situation, but in the meantime it's not knowing anything really that is driving me mad.

Anyone?

Anti-d doesn't prevent jaundice and ABO incompatibility. Anti-D prevents a different blood related issue relating to the rhesus antigens in blood.

Jaundice and ABO is common in babies where they are A and mother is O, regardless of either's rhesus status.

Risk of it happening again, I'm not sure. Phototherapy is the usual treatment for jaundice, regardless of whether there is ABO. Bilirubin is formed when red blood cells are broken down and is usually excreted by the body, as red blood cells are broken down daily as part of normal function. In jaundice too either bilirubin is not excreted sufficiently (due to baby's having naturally immature livers) or in the case of ABO too many red blood cells have been broken down so bilirubin levels are higher and takes longer to remove. Bilirubin is what causes the yellowing of the skin.

Must have been very worrying for you.

hospital.blood.co.uk/media/27456/blood-group-and-antibodies-july-2014.pdf
Some info above

They can now check the babies blood group by analysing free fetal DNA in a blood sample taken from you

Of my 5 children, 4 of them tested positive for Direct Coombes due to ABO incompatibility and had UV phototherapy and many heel pricks to check bilirubin levels. Only my first didn't, but she did have jaundice just not severe enough for the UV treatment so I cannot be sure hers wasn't also ABO incompatibility. My 3 girls have had it milder than my boys. Don't know why, but the 2 boys needed much longer under the light

And yes, the anti-d injection is for something else entirely

I'm assuming your first child had no problems? Same dad?
We each have blood group genes in pairs. I won't go into Rhesus here but it is similar. You are OO. If your partner is A, then he is either AA or AO. Your children will all be A if he is AA and therefore risk ABO incompatibility. If he is AO then kids are 50% chance of being O (no risk of ABO) and 50% A (some risk).

@BonesyBones very old post I’m aware, just wondering if you had any more children with ABO? My DD is 11 weeks and I’ve been wondering the same as she had severe ABO when born leaving us in nicu for 11 days!