Rhesus sensitisation experiences?

[RozzieRoo]

Hello, I was wondering if any ladies out there may be able to help me understand what will happen next as I’m a little worried.

I am Rhesus negative. I am pregnant with my third baby, caesarean with my first (can’t remember his blood type 12 years ago 🤦🏼‍♀️) VBAC second (R+ve) and this current pregnancy baby predicted R-Neg.

With my second she was born with high bilburin levels but she was not jaundiced as she just needed some outpatient monitoring which was short lived.

I was meant to have 2 weekly additional blood tests with my second as they had identified antibodies in my blood which was assumed to be because of antiD jabs but as I was hospitalised so much I depended on the hospitals to do this for me and I am unsure what ever really came of them.

I’ve not had an antiD jab this pregnancy as baby is predicted negative however they have just called me to say they have identified antibodies in my blood and I need an urgent blood test in the morning.

Does anyone know what they may be testing for now? She never really said. Will they monitor my current pregnancy for rhesus disease? Even though he’s predicted negative I am terrified and would rather he was in case the prediction is incorrect.

My nans sister died at 3 months old because she was born with ‘blue baby syndrome’ so just a bit worried!

Any advice or experiences with this would be so welcome. Thank you!

Sorry my second also tested DAT positive which I am only now realising what this means.

Hi, also rhs negative.
1st born rhs positive and I had anti immunoglobulin after I gave birth to her.
2nd was rhs negative so never needed anything during or after pregnancy.
It's my understanding now (moved outside of the UK pregnany with number 3) that here at least we should be having the anti immuno shot after every miscarriage and also,
That there is the blood test to confirm baby's blood type as rhs +/-, but they have to do this test twice in order to confirm properly.
If baby is rhs + we are to have the jab about 6 months in (unless bleeding occurs) and again after labour and delivery.
The test for our blood group and antibodies is also the same protocol. Twice in order for it to be confirmed.
I'm assuming this will be the reason for the emergency blood test for you, and that following those results you'll have an emergency jab and monitored a little more closely.
Fingers crossed for you

Thank you so much for your response @LaTable . Congratulations on your third pregnancy. Isn’t being rhesus neg so much fun?

That is interesting what you say about needing to be tested twice to confirm baby’s blood group. I’m hoping they retest my current pregnancy as I dread to think what could happen if they have a false negative. Like you say I haven’t had the antibodies-D jabs 6 months in this time (which was lovely) as baby is predicted Rh-.

Unfortunately with me I think as my previous baby was DAT positive (my blood attached antibodies to my babies red blood cells) and had high bilburin when born, my blood has already created the antibodies that the anti-D jabs are administered to prevent, so for me they are now useless as my body has already created an immune response.

I wonder if they will be confirming baby’s blood type again tomorrow in that case. Or checking my antibody levels perhaps. Unfortunately I don’t think an emergency jab can help me now. 😢

I just can’t find any information about NHS policy for pregnant women who are rhesus sensitised. I can find plenty for the precautions to stop it happening, but nothing about what happens to prevent a baby getting rhesus disease once it’s too late.