Another lady's blood results

[nataliefruit]

I guess I'm just having a bit of a panic & I'd like some virtual sobering slaps!

I have a needle phobia so the 1st midwife I saw said I could have 1 lot of bloods at my 12 week scan to minimise the stress. Great news! Had the bloods drawn at the hospital (they had to stab me 4 bloody times before they got it but they got there in the end) & everything came back great, iron levels, low Downs risk etc.

I had my 28 week bloods yesterday & my midwife called today to say that there had been an 'error with my bloods' because my blood type had changed since my 12 week bloods which of course can't happen & I was the only patient they took blood from yesterday so it must have been a mix up at the hospital at my 12 week scan.

So that can only mean that I got someone elses blood results from the hospital. Turns out I could be Rhesus negative (or whichever the one you don't want is) so if that's the case I haven't had the injection I need on time & no idea if I've been healthy, getting enough iron etc for the last 28 WEEKS! I'm so angry & upset that they could've got something so basic so wrong and am now feeling slightly panicked about what could go wrong.

I'm trying to tell myself here's no point in worrying as theres nothing I can do about it but I can't help it

Hi OP. Have you had previous pregnancies? I'm Rhesus negative and as far as I know, you only need the Anti-D shot if you are Rhesus negative yourself and you have already had a baby (or late miscarriage) and the first child is Rhesus positive. And in any case, I think you can still have it up until 34 weeks. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and try not to worry too much until you can have your bloods taken again. I'm sure all will be fine.

If you are rhesus negative then you only need the anti d injection during pregnancy if you have a trauma whilst pregnant & there's a risk that yours. & the babies blood have mixed. You would only need it at birth if they test baby & if they are rhesus positive then you'll need it but only then.
I really wouldn't worry, it's rubbish that your bloods have been mixed up but if you feel healthy etc go with that feeling rather than worrying!

I think you've still got time for the Anti D injection if you need it (though only 10-15% of the population have this blood type). I had it yesterday at 28+1. This is my first pregnancy and afaik it's offered to all Rhesus negative first time Mums. But, as rosy says, it doesn't pose a problem in this pregnancy. Would just be problematic in future pregnancies.
Pretty bad of them to mix up your results though! I thought that was virtually impossible with all the labelling and double checking they do!

I just wanted to say what a shit thing to be going through. It's really shocking that something like that can happen. When I had a mc in July I had bloods taken after the scan and got a phone call 3 hours later to say there had been a mix up as the labels had fallen off my samples so I had to go back for another one. It's really ridiculous when you're putting your trust in these people. I don't have any experience of the things you're asking about as havnt got that far in to pg yet but just wanted to say if your scans have gone well so far and you've felt ok then sounds like there's nothing to worry about with the baby and I hope everything is OK x

Does this mean that your downs risk result was inaccurate? What an awful thing to happen.

That's awful. I'm assuming that no issues were found at your 20 weeks scan that pointed towards downs? I would be fuming.

Re the Anti D injection, it's given at 28 weeks as standard whether it is your first or subsequent pregnancy and even if you suffered no injury which could cause your blood to mix with the babies blood. I then had it again once my DD was born as she is positive. You're still within the window to get it done. Hope it all gets sorted.

Thank you ladies for all your replies. I think I was just antagonising myself because my screening is partly based on the bloods but I'm getting into the mindset that it's too late now if my results weren't the same as I received. I've got an appointment with my midwife first thing in the morning so take more blood & to discuss further so um not as anxious now. Again, thanks for all the kind replies