Rhesus disease

[Patpop]

Hi all,

I am currently 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby and am rhesus negative. The baby's blood type has come back as RH Positive.

I will take the anti d injections but I am already concerned how this could affect future pregnancies as I heard it can cause more complications with second and further pregnancies.

I was wondering what other ladies have done who are rhesus negative when they have gone on to have further pregnancies. Do you just have anti d injections earlier in pregnancies?

Thank you x

I just had further anti-D injections. I was offered an injection at around 20 weeks with DCs 2&3. I had an extra injection when DC1 knocked into my bump (quite hard) and further injections when I had some bleeding while pregnant with DC3. (The bleeding was not linked to being rhesus negative)

Its not a disease is it? I think you have the j sections so there's no risk to you in future pregnancies or if there's any kind of cross contamination of blood.

Its really not a big deal
Just have the injections. I'm A- and my son was +.

Thank you :-)

That's what the midwife called it and it says on my letter.

It's totally common. I'm rhesus negative and my husband is positive, so I've had the injections with both pregnancies. It's no big deal.

Rhesus disease is what can happen if you don't have the Anti-D, but unless you've had a previous pregnancy where you've become sensitised to rhesus positive blood, you won't have that.

It is called rhesus disease although it isn't a disease in the way that's usually interpreted.

Anyway, that's what the anti-d injections are for. It is incredibly common to be rhesus negative so nothing to worry about. I'm Rh-negative and my first was Rh-positive. I had anti-d injections in case the second was also Rh-positive. She wasn't so would have been fine anyway.

Rhesus Disease can happen when the Anti D injection after previous pregnancy or miscarriage has not done the job it needs to. The Rhesus Negative mother produces antibodies against Rhesus Positive babies. It can lead to anaemia and or jaundice in the newborn. Unless your blood tests show high levels of antibodies you don't need to worry. Anti D after DD didn't prevent DS being born with Rhesus Disease but he was treated first for jaundice, then with a blood transfusion, but this is very rare.

It’s very very common and nothing to worry about! I expect others have said this but you just get anti-d injections at 28 weeks and at birth. And if you bleed at all in second/third trimester you go in to get an extra injection (you should go and get checked out anyway if you’re bleeding!), this is what happened to me

I had Anti-D with all my pregnancies and was fine. I wouldn’t worry about it.

I'm RH Neg too but my son was a positive blood type. As previous posters have said, make sure you have your anti D at 28 weeks and birth and if you experience any bleeds or really hard knocks / bumps to your bump, tell your mw who should give you further anti D injections.

Once you've had baby, ask them to check for crossover in you and baby (they should do this anyway). They will be able to tell you if it's occured but if you've have all your anti D injections the likelihood is that you will be fine.

Mine was all clear after having my son and I'm currently 8 weeks with 2nd baby, there's no concerns or anything on this and I've been given the same advice as with my first with regards to bleeding etc until the can check baby's blood type at 16 weeks.

Have the injections and you will be fine. Also if you have a miscarriage in the future, get another injection as that pregnancy might have been rhesus positive as well.

@Patpop - Just to say I am A- DH is A+ so I have all the injections and it realyl isn't a problem. My mother and father are the same & DB and I are fine

Of all the things you may worry about - I don't think this is one really.

All best to you

I was born with rhesus disease (I'm the 3rd baby to a A- mother after one previous A+ baby) and was absolutely fine after a week of phototherapy in the SCBU. This was 1990 and I think my mum said she wasn't tested in error.

My sister is also A- and had two + babies, with no problems whatsoever as the Anti D injections did their job.

Follow your midwife guidance re reporting any bleeds or knocks, and make sure you have your injections

@SeaToSki I was going to say this - I'm rhesus negative and was given an injection after my miscarriage.

Had anti D injections as advised. No issues with 2nd pregnancy so far.

@Patpop There’s a great book called “Anti-D Explained” by Dr Sara Wickham. Sets everything you need to know about being rhesus-negative and pregnant, and the injections in a really easy to understand way. I found it a really helpful read when pregnant and being a negative blood type. She’s also got an account on instagram.

Thank you for the reassurance everybody. It's put my mind at ease :-)