Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

how did you find out your blood group?

35 replies

crapbarry · 28/02/2011 09:58

my friend and his wife are expecting a baby at the moment (after a previous loss), and he wants to know his blood group to find out if she needs Anti-D. He's just been told he will have to go private to get his blood group tested, as it's not considered a medical issue by the NHS. The home-tests he's used are inconclusive, so he isn't trying them again. How do you find out your blood group without actually being pregnant/giving blood? (he can't give blood for various reasons)

I gave blood when I still could (my work involves blood-borne pathogens so I can't now), so that's how I found out mine - and as I'm O+, didn't need to know my DH's.

OP posts:
xstitch · 28/02/2011 10:04

Sorry I'm the same found out my blood group from giving blood.

nicole333 · 28/02/2011 10:45

How strange to be told it's not an issue for the NHS, considering it involves possible intervention for the pregnancy. Or is it more straight forward when they know the mother is rhesus neg?

I'm no expert, but find it odd to have this response.

Did the GP say this?

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 10:49

yes, GP said this - they did a blood test for friend the first time he asked, but refused to check for his blood group. Friend and his wife are furious - they are not from the UK originally (North American), and totally sick of the NHS now!

it is very odd!

OP posts:
meditrina · 28/02/2011 10:52

Is there a reason why he shouldn't give blood? (I know that can be a delicate question). But it's a reliable way of finding out, and a valuable thing to do.

Themumsnot · 28/02/2011 10:52

I'm confused. I thought you only needed anti-D if the mother is Rhesus negative? Why is the father's blood group relevant?

exexpat · 28/02/2011 10:53

Might have to pay GP (or nurse?) for a private appointment to have it tested privately. Or is there a Bupa or similar clinic nearby?

I had to give my bloodgroup on forms when I was going to study overseas years ago, and I have a feeling the GP wasn't helpful either - but my parents' next-door neighbour was a haematologist so she did it for me.

meditrina · 28/02/2011 10:54

My apologies, I've just re-read your OP properly, and realised my last was inappropriate. Sorry.

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 10:56

He has various medical issues which make his blood unusable, otherwise I agree that would be a good idea!

OP posts:
mousymouse · 28/02/2011 10:57

a pregnant woman is tested for blood type and antibodies.

however I gave blood and the blood ist tested and was given a little card that states you blood group and markes (Kell, Rhesus).

RealityIsKnockedUp · 28/02/2011 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RealityIsKnockedUp · 28/02/2011 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 10:59

Themumsnot - the point is that the mother only needs it if the father is + and she is -

My friend knows his ABO group, but not his Rhesus group, and as his wife is known to be -, they need to know his Rh status.

Although apparently the NHS give anti-D as standard to Rh- women, as the general assumption is that a woman cannot be 100% sure who the father of her child is Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 11:01

Reality - surely if she knows 100% that her DH is the father, her voice should be heard? I know that my DH is the father of our DS, as it is impossible that anyone else could have impregnated me. Not all women sleep around :)

I suppose the issue is which is cheaper for the NHS - blood test of the father or anti-D given to the mother!!

OP posts:
RealityIsKnockedUp · 28/02/2011 11:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 11:03

but surely you risk losing the baby's life if you lie about who the father is? which is, IMO, worse than your DH/DP finding out you may not have been faithful to them!!

OP posts:
Themumsnot · 28/02/2011 11:05

OK, I take your point. I was under the impression that it was standard practice to give it to all Rh negative women regardless of their husband's blood group. I certainly had it, and no one asked me what DH's blood group was.
But I suppose if he turns out to be negative too there is no need. Wouldn't it be easier to just have it though?

TrillianAstra · 28/02/2011 11:05

It makes sense to me to give the drugs to all Rh- pregnant women. Even if just 1 in 1,000 felt that it was more important to insist that her DH was the father than to give the correct information to the doctors, it would be worth it.

TrillianAstra · 28/02/2011 11:06

"but surely you risk losing the baby's life if you lie about who the father is? which is, IMO, worse than your DH/DP finding out you may not have been faithful to them!"

Some people are not very clever. Or have skewed priorities. Or are in absuive relationships and fear that their DH would beat the shit out of them.

Themumsnot · 28/02/2011 11:11

Crapberry - some people, sadly, are capable of making incredibly poor choices.

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 11:13

"Some people are not very clever. Or have skewed priorities. Or are in absuive relationships and fear that their DH would beat the shit out of them." I do understand this, but my friend and his wife are both very highly educated (PhDs, in medical subjects), and desperately want this baby, but she does not want unecessary injections, I guess that's the issue.

I do agree that the blanket anti-D policy is a good one, and I assume that it was introduced for good reasons, but I think that a woman should be allowed to refuse the jab if she has a good reason to. However, it's obviously not up to me (and if I was in this situation, I'd be getting the anti-D just in case my husband's blood tests were wrong anyway, but that's me :))

OP posts:
beijingaling · 28/02/2011 11:17

IME if she is - you get tested for the antibodies at 28 odd weeks. If they are/aren't present you get the jab (can't remember which). Baby then gets tested at birth and you get the jab if baby is different blood group to mother.

In reality it doesn't matter what your/her OH is.

beijingaling · 28/02/2011 11:19

I think the number of women who would refuse the jab would be vanishingly small though JWs might as the jab is a blood product... Certainly it's classed as a blood product in china.

Original poster
crapbarry · 28/02/2011 11:20

thanks beijing - that's useful to know. Like I said, I've not experienced this, as I'm Rh+, but will pass on the info to my friend, it might shut him up about it for 5 minutes :o

OP posts:
bucaneve · 28/02/2011 11:25

For some reason my blood group and the +/- thing is listed on my vaccinations book from when I was a child, so it might be look having a look on that if she's still got hers somewhere

bucaneve · 28/02/2011 11:26

*might be worth

Swipe left for the next trending thread