URGENT ADVICE needed -RHNEG Blood Group - hospital just called saying blood contaminated.........

[LOONEYplayingachristmasTUNEy]

Hi there

Had a fall on Tuesday, nothing bad but phoned midwife to ask for advice and she offered to see me on Friday at drop in clinic. Baby's heartbeat heard so felt reassured but when I told her I was RHNeg blood group, she said I'd need a blood test as fell after 12 weeks (12+1) to see if baby's blood had contamintated with mine. Told me to call back on Monday for results.

Just getting ready for going out in few hours (xmas meal an hour away, me and dh booked in at hotel) when the phone rings.....hospital calling to say I need anti-d injection as it IS contaminated. I said when do I need it and they said TODAY or TOMORROW . I then said ok, I'll cancel my plans and loose money if baby is at risk which she agreed and then I worried and said 'but I fell on Tuesday' and she said 'OH' and then said 'oh, don't worry, it's future pregnancies that are at risk'.

So now I'm confused. Is THIS baby at risk? Is it just future pregnancies? should I be worried that I haven't had anti-d until this weekend? I'm currently waiting for them to rush some Anti-D to the ward as they don't have any atm.

I just want some FACTS. I knew all about anti-d etc but didn't know that a slight fall in pregnancy could require it etc. I'm so confused and dh is in a state about whether or not he should continue and go to the xmas do anyway? (lots of money spent )

TIA

oh dear, bumping for someone knowledgable

Thanks, I just don't know what to think. I've been so up and down worrying about this pregnancy and only just felt reassured and got to 12 weeks and now this!

hi ya
im not overally knowledges on rh neg despite me being it but i only know from expereince.

what i gather is if ur neg and ur baby is postive it can cause probs in future pregnancies if ur not given an injection after birth if baby is postive or if u have a bleed or fall u should be given it sytraight away.

i had a bleed at 31 weeks, i had blood taken but was given the anti d straight away incase the bloods showed something and it would of been to late.

the midwife should of sent u to the hosp on tuesday when u called her esp as she knew u was rh neg. i know after birth u can have the injection up to 72 hours after birth but they do give it as soon as they know if baby is postive

does that make sense?

im not sure now ur other the 72 hours what would happen but i would not be happy with the midwife u saw on tuesday she should of sent u straight to the hosp and had the anti d as a precaution while they where waiting on bloods.

i really hope all is ok and i would still go the hosp and have the injection and ask them if u should of had it on tuesday when u had the fall, if so i would complain about the midwife u spoke to

thanks everyone, on my way to hospital now

Just thought I'd post an update (couldn't come on til now as was a mental rush after the 'are we aren't we' going away and when we decided to go, it was all systems go to get their as was at the hospital about an hour, I asked lots of questions!)

Well, I got there and was in a ward where you normally go after baby is born (cots etc). Then a lady came in to give me the anti-d and I asked if she'd be able to answer my questions and she said 'well, this leaflet tells you about the anti-d' and I explained it wasn't good enough, I had actual questions about what's happened and the fact I didn't get it within 72 hours etc and was confused as to whether this baby or just future pregnancies were at risk as a result. She said she'd get a midwife. Midwife came in asking me to explain everything as she knew nothing about me. I explained and she went to speak to a Dr. She came back and said the reason she knew nothing about me was because I was on the wrong ward, I should have been sent to the Gynaecology ward as under 16 weeks pg. But as I was there, she was sending a Dr from that ward to see me. He came very quickly and answered my questions before giving the anti-d to me. He explained that my baby's blood had come out and leaked into mine and because my baby is positive and I'm RHNeg, my body will fight the baby/baby's blood? and therefore I need the anti-d to fill my body with anti-bodies which will stop my body doing that. This baby and future pregnancies were at risk without it. I asked if it mattered that this wasn't done within the usual 72 hours and he didn't seem worried. I did say I was concerned about whether my fall caused this mix of blood or something else as the fall was only slight and also, it happened at only 12+1 and they don't do anything unless it happens after 12 weeks so I may very nearly have not been checked yet needed it. He did reassure me with his explanation but me not being medical, I can't remember it all. I suppose I just have to trust what he said but I wish I understood more about it all. I'm still not 100% sure if I got the anti-d after my son was born or whether it wasn't needed because of his blood group? I've had a bad feeling about this pregnancy from the start, had slight early bleeding, not felt pregnant, just got the tummy but no feelings yet heart is beating so I should feel reassured. I did feel more reassured after hearing baby's heartbeat on Fri and recently having a scan of baby looking like a baby (not a bean like in the early days) but I'm starting to worry again about the unknown, wish I could just forget about it all but I can't shift the bad feeling! Anyway, I've just got to take it easy he said and if I have ANY trauma, pain or bleeding, I have to go in each time and have an anti-d (or check to see if needed).

You poor thing - what a worry! You should ask again if you need information or reassurance - could your GP help?

Hugs to you,

xx

This is a pretty common "complication" so if the doctor you saw wasn't worried, I don't hink you need be.

If it helps to reassure you, I am a +ve baby of a -ve mother and despite a few difficulties at birth I was absolutely fine. This was before anti-D and the problem was a rh+ve older brother in my case. Medical science has progressed enormously since I was born

Thanks ladies.

DoesntChristmasDragOn - That sort of reassured me until I researched more on the net (was planning a home birth but wondering if that's a bad idea now?)

I'm getting more and more confused after reading stuff on the net. The official sites basically say that once your body produces the antibodies, that's it??? The Anti-D injections are to stop your body producing these anti-bodies which is why they say you should have it within 72 hours. Well I had bleeding at about 6 weeks and am now concerned as although I was told didn't need anti-d unless this happened after 12 weeks, others were given it at 7 weeks etc I'm now unsure whether my baby's blood mixed with mine earlier than the fall and if so, is my baby now at risk as had the anti-d too late??

Just babbling aren't I, sorry, just thinking out loud (plus secretly hoping someone really knows the answers)

looney, im sorry i dont have any answers, but i feel really bad for you being left in limbo, maybe u could find somewhere to phone? someone who could explain everything u need to know and provide the answers that u need, do bounty or some other preganacy related places have an advice line?

I tried phoning to speak to my Dr but she's away til after Christmas I have been on the official website (Rhogam.com) which provides all info about the drug and this sounds to me like I should have been checked earlier and had it earlier but I can't be sure and of course the hospital said it would be ok - not sure if they were just trying to make me feel better??? I'm not stressing like mad that I'm putting my baby at risk, I just want answers, is that too much to ask for?

Try talking to these people.

Hope you get the answers you're looking for.

Sorry

These people.

Thanks for that. Feeling a bit better since seeing 'Antibodies' on the booking bloods as being NIL - I'm hoping this is about the RHNeg stuff. Going to speak to the midwife and see if I can get another blood test to see where I stand since baby's blood mixed with mine. I'm hoping it's as simple as they can do the same test and if comes back NIL antibodies then all ok - fingers crossed!

hi looney ((hugs)) sorry i wasn't around when you posted on sat. Just another tale to keep you (hopefully) reassured
I am rh neg, had lots of mc's and no anti-d
thus became a walking antibody...
had lots of anti-d and various stuff to see how much damage was done, was monitored throughout pg with DS1 - he was rh+ and apart from a few days of jaundice, was fine.
pg with DS2 i had bleeding from 5 wks, and was given anti-d injections(OUCH) every month to 6 weeks. by the end of this they reckoned i was crazy if i thought of having any more, and thought that it would be highly unlikely i'd carry another one anyway( never believe a doctor who looks like this)
DD got in there anyway, good on her and again tons of anti-d throughout pg. again as she was rh+ she got quite jaundiced, and went on a light-bed. again, she's a fine and fit bossy madam.
we were aware of the potential risks as DH had two brothers who died soon after birth due to complications from rhesus incompatibilty, and it made the whole thing tooooo stressful because we knew 'too much' - tho now the treatment is there with anti-d and things aren't as scary as they were when MIL lost her babies. she had none of the treatment that i did.
During pg, I had a card from the National blood service, which states my blood group, name and on the back advises that after any type of bump, fall, bleed, all sorts of stuff on the list, that you get your antiD within 72 hours.Carry this card everywhere in your pocket.

i think i write big gobbledygook. if you need translation, please ask

Thanks so much, I will ask for a card

Right, can you answer a question for me.....if you already have antibodies from not having an anti-d in time, does the anti-d still help? or is it something else they do aswell when this happens? I'm confused as from what I've read and what the Dr at the hospital told me, I believed that once your body has produced antibodies, that's it and that yes they can monitor baby but the anti-d won't help as it only stops them from being produced in the first place? Now I may have got that wrong? Maybe the antibodies can increased and anti-d stops this??? ANY info you can give to clarify this would be FAB

I've spoken to my midwife this morning who was surprised as didn't know I'd been in hospital over the weekend for the anti-d and was also surprised because the advice she was given on Fri was not to test me, wasn't needed etc. Luckily she decided to do it anyway! What I'm not sure about is whether the test just told them I had blood mixed from baby or if I actually had started producing antibodies? Midwife has arranged another blood test for me to check whether or not my body is showing any antibodies now (they weren't from my booking bloods in Nov).

That test in on Thurs, I really wish I understood all this (trying to decide whether or not a home birth is still safe under the circumstances?)

from what i was told, it appears that the antiD stops the antibodies (if you have them) going crazy and increasing. if you have a low level wandering round you, they can keep track of it (well thats what they did with me anyway) and make sure it doesn't get any higher. if you don't have any, it stops you from producing them.

As to whether this baby (or any other, for that matter is at risk, is entirely dependent upon its blood group, which you are only likely to find out a)by deduction if you are making antibodies, or b)from the blood sample taken from the umbilical cord at birth.
As at this stage, you don't know whether your baby has positive or negative blood, but you do know that if it has positive then it could "fight" with you, then the anti-d is given as a precaution. chances are if you are showing 'nil' for antibodies then baby has negative blood group. Presumably it is also possible that you didn't mix any blood and baby is positive, though i honestly don't know about that.
If you get as far as the birth and find out that you have been carrying a baby with a pos blood group, then you will be given another anti-d injection as soon as the blood group is confirmed, which for me was around 24 hours after birth. If your baby is neg, then you won't need anti-d.

I think the research on antibodies/ rhesus incompatibility is increasing and the advice from pg with DS1 now 7 wasn't quite the same as the information around for pg 3 (2 yrs ago). not drastically different, just how much anti-d they thought was 'enough' and how frequently i was given it.

I haven't got a clue on the score of home birth, i had other complications all three times (hey how lucky can a girl get?) so chose to go to hosp for all of them. with DS2 i stayed in less than 24hrs though.

found some interesting info here
www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/complications/whatisrhesusstatus/

it also shows that the theory i was told 7..well nearer 8 years ago, wasn't entirely accurate. i know i have some antibodies, and they gave me anti-d in all my pgs, though this article says that this wouldn't be the case.
There is clearly quite a lot of confusion over the issue!
my experience is also that if the docs are in doubt, they stick it in you anyway!!

Cheers for that. They definitely told me this baby IS 'positive' which is why they wanted me to have it so quick. They said the Kleihaur test they did showed that a) baby's blood had leaked into mine and b) that baby had positive blood.

I've got a blood test booked for Thursday to show whether or not my body is showing any antibodies.

I will look at that link although I think I've read it which is why I thought once you have produced antibodies, that was it sort of thing.....yes, very confusing!!

Looney - having a homebirth is still an option for you as you have to hav your blood taken adn the babies taken for examination before they'll gove you anti-d, this is usally done when you go in for paed check at around 3days old. i'm Rh-ve and had about 6 Anti-d injections with ds2 as ds1 kept jumping on me, and i'm prone to falling down stairs. you should also have it routinely at 28 and 32 weeks. they know enough about it these not to be worried unless they really need to be. i know after 20weeks its just future pregnancies that are in danger if anti-d not given.

hth

Cheers, I feel much better as REALLY want a home birth this time!! (although obviously if they think there's any risk then I'll go into hospital instead). The reason I was worried is because of the urgency on the phone on Saturday when the hospital said I had to have it done right away sort of thing. And I know I was given it later than I should have been which is why I'm a little concerned (plus I'm just the type of person who has to have all the facts! ). I'll feel 100% haappy if the antibody check I have done tomorrow comes back as NIL - fingers crossed

BTW, I'm afraid although I know medical people are a lot better these days with this stuff, I can't put all my faith in them. If the midwife hadn't decided to check me even though she was told no need by the hospital, I would never have got this anti-d at the weekend which I'm told was vital due to the fact my baby's blood HAD in fact mixed with mine. So I like to double check everything myself. I suppose this comes from family experience of Dr's/hospitals f'ing up - my sister has nearly died TWICE now from 2 totally different things, my dad researched the first time (head related) and gave the hospital loads of stuff to read which helped them know what to do and 2nd time (very recently) it was ME who insisted she rush herself to hospital (even though hospital had told her what to watch out for) when I knew (thanks to MN) a particular pain = urgent medical treatment (a pain they never told her to watch out for) and they admitted last week she'd have almost certainly died had she not gone in then and been operated on. You see.......I need to know I'm in control!!

know the control-freak-ish tendencies well, looney. me too.
interestingly enough, some of my mistrust of the wonderful medics at a certain local hospital was down to conflicting information given on this precise issue and the way that they (mis)handled my pg with ds2. It is difficult finding real facts about all the rhesus incompatibility scenarios that people like us want to know, because there seem to be a few facts and a lot of what i can only call (politely) interpretation. (i call it bullsh1t when i'm not trying to be polite)
have you got DC already - or am I correct in thinking this is baby number1?
do do do tell us how you get on when you go on thurs, and what you pick up info-wise.
me, i'm still baffled as to why I had regular anti-d through all my pgs even tho i have some antibodies there from the mc's, and they were so keen to keep sticking it in me if the info about not being given it if you already have antibodies, is correct. otherwise can only think that there isn't actually a conclusive answer and they are all playing some crazy guessing game....
worrying or what

P>S> crossing fingers for a big fat NIL antibodies for you.

ban uncle-bodies as well for good measure, eh?

Glad I'm not the only control freak but the way I see it is....I trust myself and don't trust anyone else to get things right! I mean....the midwife was told not to test me yet she (thankfully) chose to anyway and then sudden panic from hospital to get me in . At least by me pushing for everything, I know where I stand!! I'd rather be embarrassed than face another mc or worse!! No, this is baby number 2 for me. 4th pregnancy.

It's quite worrying how much bullshit there is about this isn't it!!! I've got another thread in this section here and it's a lot clearer now but just goes to show either I've been mis-informed at the hospital or I do have antibodies already but then why give anti-d?? (I believe this is supposed to PREVENT antibodies from being produced but maybe it also stops them increasing??)

Thanks for the good luck message, I'll come back tomorrow with an idea of when I should get my results (hopefully the next day!)

blimey, looney, we've had such similar experiences.

can't decide at this stage whether that is good or bad tbh but anyway....bad for you at the mo

catch up tomorro!