Blood group

[Ellemay12]

Hello,
did any other mums of there have a blood group of A- when they had a baby? Just want some advice and if you had a healthy pregnancy

I'm A-. How far along are you and what specifically would you like to ask?

I’m A- too. Happy to answers any questions, I’ve had two healthy pregnancies.

Yes

The anti D injections are a pain in the bum (literally) but that's pretty much the only thing that makes it different to any other pregnancy

Just to add lots of hospitals now do fetal dna screening around 16w, so my midwife was able to tell me with something like a 99% accuracy that in both pregnancies, my baby was also RH neg. So I didn't need to worry about Anti-D or anything. If your hospital doesn't offer fetal dna screening, then you just need to be vigilant about knocks, bumps, bleeding etc.

My first pregnancy was fine (high BP on the day before I went into labour) but after birth my baby developed GBS sepsis. That was nothing to do with blood group however (although please make sure you get a private group B strep test if your hospital doesn't offer one at 34w!). My second pregnancy was fine until I developed preeclampsia, but again, that was nothing to do with blood group. DDs are now nearly 4yr and 1yr and both thriving (except for driving me bananas with sleep, but that's a whole different topic!)

I’m 17 weeks on Thursday. I’m just scared.. I’m scared I’m going to loose the baby!

What do you mean by this?

Both my babies are RH positive. First pregnancy I just had the standard anti d injections but the second I had it about 4 times because of bleeding. He’s perfectly healthy. Just be super vigilant about bleeding & any knocks to your bump and you and baby will be fine. Don’t ever hesitate to call the midwives either, they’d rather you called a million times than not.

I'm A-. Both my children are fine.

Did you have bleeding because your A-?

Hi pregnancy buddy! We are almost exactly at the same gestation.
Please don’t worry! My mum is Rh - and I’m Rh + as are my older siblings. If the baby is looking to be + then the anti-D vaccine will protect you both and any future babies. Millions of people are Rh- and have healthy pregnancies. It’s really not anything to worry about.

It's a bit scary to start with, but they should have given you a number to ring. I called mine a couple of times (before the fetal screening came back) and the midwives were always really helpful about triaging me over the phone to work out if I needed to come in. I fell down the stairs at 15w and she said to me that a good rule is if my bump is sore from a knock or if there is any bruising, then to go for a check. They will be used to women calling and checking so no need to worry about calling up.

By the way, if you press the quote button to the person you want to respond to, it will make it easier for them to know that you are writing to them :)

No, it wasn’t because I’m A-. My waters partially broke when I was 29 weeks so I bled every now and then until I gave birth.

I think it’s because it’s my first baby and I’m just scared! I really hope I have a healthy pregnancy! Are you showing yet with a bump?

Who was this aimed at?

Pastabest! Sorry didn’t know you could reply to people by pressing quote

I’m rh-. I can’t say it made a jot of difference to me apart from having anti-D injections.

So was you okay?

Which bit?

The yes was that I'm A-

The pain in the bum bit is that if you do need the Anti D injections because your baby may be Rh+ they tend to do them in your bum. And they can sting a bit I'm afraid.

Other than that my pregnancies were all just normal straightforward pregnancies

No it's nothing to do with that.

You just have to get an Anti D injection if you do bash your bump or have any bleeding, and at the scheduled times otherwise.

The midwives won't be phased by it at all. The Anti D injections are expensive though so they only give them if its needed.

I've had two and mine were straightforward as well.

I don't know the blood group of my kids. @chateo did you find out via fetal DNA screening & @CrispAppleStrudels how long have they been doing that where you are? I'd my youngest 2.5 years ago.

I’m O- with 2 RH+ babies, no issues with either of them during pregnancy, birth or afterwards - I was just diligent if I had any bumps/falls/bleeding and made sure I went straight to antenatal triage for a AntiD injections

DD1 was born in 2021 and they did it for her, then again for DD2 last year. Not sure when it started though. We are based in South London in case that makes a difference.

It doesn't affect first pregnancies as the antibodies take ages to build up, so as long as you get the anti d injection you will be fine. It affected my second pregnancy, because I wasn't given anti d in my first pregnancy when I had a small bleed. My booking bloods for second pregnancy showed I had rhesus antibodies and I had to have monthly blood tests to no monitor antibody levels. Unfortunately, they went up massively and I ended up being scanned one a fortnight and bloods once a week. At 24 weeks this increased to weekly and scanned weekly. Antibodies rose again and I had to have go to King's College Hospital to give the baby a blood transfusion whilst in utero. This failed and I ended up having my baby at 32 weeks. He had haemolytic disease of the newborn. He was in hospital under lights for 2 weeks and had a blood transfusion.

Is now a strapping adult!!

It was really worrying, but I went on to have a 3rd, and by then blood tests showed baby was a too, so despite increased monitoring, it was absolutely fine and was born at full term.

Yup. Fine.

I’m rh-and have two rh+ children. No complications, all fine. Have the anti-d and try to stress.