Anyone know about KLEIHAUR Blood Test?

[LOONEYplayingachristmasTUNEy]

Basically had this on Friday and then got phonecall from hospital saying needed to come in for anti-d as baby's blood had leaked into mine. I'd had a fall OVER 72 hours prior to this and am just wondering if this Kleihaur blood test would JUST show whether or not baby's blood had mixed, or would it also show whether or not my body had started producing antibodies?

Anyone in the know?

TIA

kleihaur test for fetal haemoglobin, a routine group and antibody screen will pick up any antibodies, they will prob do this prior to giving your anti d iirc

So that test wouldn't have screened for antibody at that time? I had the antibody screening at booking appointment which was clear but this leak was as a result of my fall so not sure where I stand at this moment in time. I had the anti-d on Saturday. Midwife has offered to do another screening on Thursday, just wondered if this would have been picked up with the kleihaur test?

Thanks

Anyone?

bumpity bump

Just wondered if curlywurlycremeegg was there to answer the last bit?

HI sorry I rushed of kids not well at the moment this is what I know about the kleihauer:

Kleihauer test
The Kleihauer test performed on Rhesus negative mothers who give birth to Rhesus positive babies involves the staining of the maternal blood for foetal cells. The technique is based on the fact that the baby's haemoglobin molecule is different from that of an adult (termed Hb F -foetal - as opposed to Hb A -adult). One property of this haemoglobin is that it resists acid elution whereas adult does not and this is utilised in the method. An eluting solution is added to a smear of the maternal blood, the mother's red cells will be destroyed but the baby's will resist this. A stain is added that stains all the red cells and any intact cells must be foetal in origin. These are counted microscopically and reported.

Taken from my neonatal examination notes. So as far as I am aware the only way to detect antibodies is to do an antibody screen. A further kleihauer would, however, detect any free fetal blood cells still circulating which would indicate another does of ant d would be an appropriate course of action.

HTH

Wow - that actually was very helpful, even for my pregnancy brain so thanks

Actually .....the only bit I'm not sure about is when they said my baby was 'positive' and not 'negative', is this correct, they could know this from this test?

Thanks, sorry to be a pain but I need to feel in control and all this helps Antibody test is tomorrow, I'm going to ask how quick they can get the results as this will be the final thing to hopefully reassure me

I am pretty sure the kleihaur can only detect fetal haemoglobin, not the actual blood group. The only way they would be able to say your baby was Rh+ve was if you had started to produce anti d antibodies. Good luck tomorrow, an antibody screen can usually be back within 12 hours (quicker in fact as it is the same that is done as a group and x match when people need a blood transfusion).

And don't it's not the simplest thing to understand and sometimes when medical staff "over simplify" things to help patients understand, a lot is lost in the translation!

You know what.....I wondered that......they DEFINITELY said that my POSITIVE baby's blood had mixed with mine!!?!??!?? So if this is true then I presume tomorrow's test will come back showing antibodies? And if so, what the hell does that mean??? God, this whole thing is SOOOOO confusing!!!

AFAIK, IF it's the fall that caused the blood mix, I had my anti-d about 96 hours after it happened.

Who was it you spoke to, it may have been someone who doesn't quite understand what they are talking about (shouldn't happen but often does!) and they may think that a positive kliehaur means your baby must be Rh+ve, whereas a woman who was Rh+ve and had had a mix of fetal and maternal blood would still have had a result that detected fetal haemoglobin, it just wouldn't have meant anything IYKWIM

I was told by the ward staff who phoned me to get me in on Saturday and then by the Dr from the Gyno ward who came to answer my questions and gave me the shot (was supposed to be midwife doing until I made a fuss, I've come away, researched more and now more confused lol)

TBH it sounds like they have confused there HAS been a mix of your blood and your baby's but and your baby MAY be Rh+ve with your baby IS Rh=ve. If they were worried about you having developed antibodies you should now have a long list of scan dates and consultant appointments.

Right, so is it no wonder that I've come away totally confused then That's great that you've said that, I'm no longer panicing and all I can do is wait for the blood test results from tomorrow. IF I'm lucky, I may get those on Friday so i don't have to wait over Christmas!!

I'm not sure how far your knowledge extends? But I'm wondering what the procedure is IF I DO have antibodies? I also know the anti-d is SUPPOSED to be given within 72 hours but that didn't happen - not sure how important this is?

BTW, thanks SO much for your help on this, you're the only person whose actually made any sense!!! And also, you made me fancy eating a cream egg and a curly worly thanks to your name!!

Sorry I disappeared again, DS1 had trampolining then couldn't get DS2 of to sleep this morning!

If you had started to produce antibodies then you will have very close monitoring, probably on your day assesment unit, maybe twice weekly CTGs and weekly scans/dopplers to asses fetal wellbeing. Also regular blood antibody screening to asses antibody levels and whether there is the need to expidate the delivery of your baby. There is a good chance your baby would need neonatal care in the NNU. However I am hoping all this is not going to be the case as there is some research to show that anti-d is most effective if given within 72 hours of a "sensitizing" event, however it can still be effective if given within 10 days of the event.

Fingers crossed for you for today

Thanks so much, I really hate it when they say things to make you feel better as just want proper facts I believe and then I'm actually less stressed - weird aren't i . Anyway, thanks and will keep you posted. Blood test at 11.30am and I'm going to beg for results asap

Quick update.....full blood count results were back this morning but just checked again and the antibody screening result isn't it so I need to try again on Monday. From what Mears said on another thread (she's a midwife), I WILL show antibodies because I've now had the anti-d so not quite sure why I had the test done? I suppose I'll just have to wait til my midwife appointment on 8th Jan and ask more there.

Right, after getting advice from mears (a midwife on MN), I phoned my midwife and she has phoned blood bank and confirmed NO signs of my baby's blood mixing with mine and no anibodies - the hospital apparently went into a panic as I was just over 12 weeks and had trauma (it was tiny!) and gave it as standard!!! I told her I'd checked with midwife AND Dr at the hospital and they both confirmed that baby's blood HAD got into mine.....she's quite annoyed as they went over her head and issued it anyway and caused unnecessary panic! She understood my reason for needing to know and said she's the same but now I can go and enjoy Christmas without worrying!

So panic over and thanks for helping my understanding