Blood type A Rh Negative, can anyone enlighten me?

[BuffaloCauliflower]

I recently had an early miscarriage (5+3) with my first ever pregnancy. I’ve been generally fine, these things happen and we’re planning to try again in January, but went for follow up blood test at EPU yesterday and the nurse said I’m A Rh Negative and should be aware for future pregnancies especially now I’ve had a loss and might need injections in another pregnancy, but wasn’t very good at explaining

I’ve been googling and can see if I’m pregnant in future with an A+ baby I might need injections to stop my body producing antibodies and attacking the baby? And so higher risk for late term miscarriage/still birth, possibly more now I’ve had one loss?

But I can’t quite get my head round it, is there anything I need to be aware of as we start to try again? Thought there would likely be some women with experience here!

Hi , I didn’t really understand it either. I bled at 20 weeks and when taking my bloods they found out I was a-. They have given me anti d injection and then I have to go back in a few weeks as like you said our bloods can cross causing antibodies to attack the baby.
It’s just a precaution they took with me as I was bleeding

Does your dh/dp know their blood group? If they are Rh+ then you will be likely to get anti d injections during your pregnancy and afterwards if your baby is shown to be Rh+ too. If they dont know what blood group they are you would be offered them as standard.

I'm B- and DH is A+ so I had injections during and after both of my pregnancies. I don't know the kids' blood groups but they must be Rh+.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/rhesus-disease/prevention/

Hiya! I'm A negative too :) basically if you become pregnant with a Rh positive baby, there is a risk that if your blood mixes with baby's blood (for instance if your bump takes a knock, or during birth) your body will react to the Rh positive blood as if it were a virus or bacteria, and will start producing antibodies against it. In subsequent pregnancies with Rh positive babies, your antibodies could then attack the baby and it increases the risk of miscarriage or problems with the baby.

So most Rh negative women have an injection. At 28 weeks (I just had mine!) to stop your body producing antibodies in the event of your blood mixing with babies. You also have to have an injection if you have a knock to your bump or any bleeding.

I wouldn't worry too much about the miscarriage affecting anything - as it was at such an early stage it's not likely that it will have caused your body to produce antibodies.

I'm A- and we don't know DH's blood type so I've had anti d. This is my second pregnancy I had a loss a few years ago. I think it depends on each areas guidelines. Here I was given a larger dose of anti d at 28 weeks as standard, other than that I've had 2 small doses due to small bleeds along the way. It's a precaution as if baby has a positive blood group and any blood crosses the placenta then my body may attack this as a foreign invader which could cause issues. The issues are apparently more common in subsequent pregnancies. It is a blood product but you can still donate blood in the future if you've been given it, I checked with the blood donation people.

I don't know what the implications of the miscarriage are (and very sorry for your loss) but the rh- thing is quite manageable these days. I had an injection when pregnant, another after birth and I was told if I had a fall or anything during pregnancy to go straight to a & e and ask for anti d.

When you next get pregnant, make sure the first thing you say is that you're rh- and have had a previous miscarriage. You would expect an anti natal appt to cover this anyway, but do make sure you get the anti d as soon as possible.

Thanks all that’s helpful. I couldn’t tell from what she was saying if I should be having an injection straight away if pregnant again or what

Oh and trying to find out what DH blood type is, he doesn’t know but he’ll have it on record somewhere

Sorry for your loss op

When you are rhesus negative, it's important that you inform your midwife if you have any episodes of bleeding or any knocks to your bump as you will need an anti d injection. This prevents you and the baby from developing rhesus disease from blood crossing the placenta if the baby turns out to be rhesus positive. Because they can't tell the babies blood group until they are born, the anti d is given as a precaution. You will also be given an anti d injection at around 27 weeks as a precaution. When the baby is born they will test their blood group and if they are rhesus positive, you will get another anti d injection.

Hi OP, I am O negative and had anti-D. As PP have explained you will be offered injections in future pregnancies and after delivery if the baby is Rh+. They prevent your immune system reacting to the baby’s Rh positive blood The reason it’s a potential issue is because the antibodies can cross the placenta. Both my dc were Rh+ and were fine.

Sorry to hear you had a miscarriage. I had one with my first pg. I did have anti-D after that, but it was a late first trimester miscarriage (IIRC it’s advised if you are over 10 weeks or so; earlier than that and the baby’s blood system isn’t sufficiently developed to cause a reaction). Anyway, they should monitor you in future pregnancies. Good luck!

Looks like if a miscarriage is before 12 weeks then you wouldn't get anti-d. You would get injections during a new pregnancy but not until later on, unless you had a bleed/fall/trauma to your bump.

P.s. dh only knows his blood group due to donating blood

It doesn’t always make a difference to your healthcare even if your DH is neg too as they can’t always assume same dad etc. Not a comment on you just procedure
I am neg and have x4 A+ babies. I had anti d at 28 weeks and was told to be careful and call in if I received any bumps or knocks to bump.
Talk to your healthcare provider but I hope pp’s have been reassuring x

Because they can't tell the babies blood group until they are born, the anti d is given as a precaution.

I’m sure I’ve read on here that some trusts will give you a blood test to find out the baby’s blood group fairly early on in pregnancy - and if it’s not one that poses a risk (e.g. the baby is rhesus negative also) then you don’t have to have the anti-D. Does anyone know?

There is a test which is gradually being adopted across the NHS which can identify if the baby is rhesus positive or rhesus negative. If your baby is negative you do not need anti-D, if baby is rhesus us very strongly recommended to avoid antibody formation, as already explained by pp. nhsbtdbe.blob.core.windows.net/umbraco-assets-corp/4401/inf1263.pdf

I wonder what the advantages are to testing the baby over giving the anti d to all pregnant rh- mothers?

I suppose it means you won't be giving an unneeded blood product to mothers with Rh- babies

Thought so - thanks Nanmum. I'm really hoping my trust does that test, as I don't like the thought of unneeded blood products and hate injections!

• Sorry, that should be "I don't like the thought of blood products"!

@Simkin demented pixie is correct - the advantage is that it avoids giving a human blood product to women unnecessarily. There are risks associated with any blood product, so the NHS is trying to move to a situation where only those who actually need it to prevent antibody formation and the consequent risks of that for (usually) future babies.

@Nanmumandmidwife How can I find out whether my trust tests the baby's blood - is it just a case of asking the midwife at my next appointment (at 16 weeks)? They did actually phone and tell me the procedure, but I was in such a tizz about the rhesus negative thing that I didn't really take in what she was saying!

Knowing my luck though the baby will be R+ and I'll have to take the anti-D anyway!

Is the risk of receiving a blood product the risk of contaminated blood? I'm asking out of interest (because I don't think I was aware there was a risk associated with it when I had it. Not saying I wouldn't've had it though).

Being rh neg tends to be associated with late miscarriages and stillbirths rather than early miscarriages. All the treatments to prevent a potentially rh positive baby being harmed only occur in the second trimester even when the mum has antibodies.Really sorry for your loss but
if you have had testing to rule out other causes too, I would suggest this might just be down to chance.

You can have allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis to the jab as it is a protein product.

I was told at my booking appointment that testing the baby's blood type is because anti-d is hard to get hold of so they don't want to give it to people unnecessarily- my trust doesn't offer it though yet.