When should I receive anti-D?

[Bean7]

Hi,

I miscarried recently and didn't need a D&C. I am RhD-Negative and my partner is RhD-Positive so I was expecting a shot of anti-D before I start trying again. Hospital policy during the miscarriage stated I did not need the anti-D because it was unlikely that I had developed the antibodies. I am worried that that there could be a small bleed during my next pregnancy (which could create the antibodies) before the first 8 week appointment, as they will only administer the anti-D then. Has anybody requested to have the shot before they start trying again? So far I have been unsuccessful trying. The other problem I have is that my maternity hospital is not the hospital I was admitted too for the miscarriage. Each don't have all the information together to make a decision. NHS aaarrggghhhh!!

Any advise would be very welcome. Thanks

I had a miscarriage and wasn't given anti d.

But when I was 12 weeks pregnant (the pregnancy after the anti d) I received a shot of Anti D - but I did nag the midwife a bit. My dd is now 4.

sorry - the pregnancy after the miscarriage.

Thanks for this. I also want to request an early scan next time to put my mind at rest. Did you wait till 12 weeks or have an early one?

Sorry, I'm also new to Mumsnet. Is dd 'due date'? Trying to figure out what is 4?

Ah! Darling daugter!

Funny you have wrote this i rang the maternity hospital to find out this very thing today.

It is 28 weeks and 34 weeks.

Just read your full message. I am the same blood group and have only ever had anti d on the 28 and 34 weeks (already have a 3 years old daughter)so dont really know whether anti d would stop a miscarriage if given early.

My friend has just lost a baby a 12 weeks and she does not have to have anti d, so i think a miscarriage is a horrible but very common thing and maybe your blood group didnt contribute to the miscarriage.

Try not to worry and dont forget if you knock your stomach badly you need to go in and have an anti d injection.

I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks then got pregnant straight away after it and am due to have the anti-d at 28 weeks - so 3 weeks time

didnt find out i was rh- until my 16 week appointment anyway

the anti-d is only effective if given with a set period of time of the blood mixing so can't see why anyone would want an anti d before trying or at 12 weeks. eg if you already have the antibodies because of a previous pregnancy no amount of anti d is going to help.

i had anti d at 28 weeks and 34 weeks and after the birth post times.

they are very over the top here with the anti-d, the injections at 28 and 34 very very precautionary and don't really affect your changes of developing the anti-bodies that much, so i think that if there was any evidence you needed one after a miscarriage they would do it.

Thanks woodhj. I will try not to worry and ask for an early can next time.

Hi gizzy1973, good news to hear you got pregnant straight after. Gives me hope. I'm pretty sure I was ovulating again the other day but have been advised to wait until I have a period again. I think it's just a date thing.

Hi MumNWLondon. You're right, I probably haven't developed the antibodies which is why I didn't need the anti-D. Saw this acticle today:

"Between 1 and 1.5 per cent of RhD-negative women develop anti-D antibodies during pregnancy due to small and 'silent' bleeds from the placenta. This usually happens in the last three months of the pregnancy, and because it is silent, you do not pass any blood through your vagina so you would be unaware of the bleed.

Because of the chance of this happening, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that all pregnant RhD-negative women should be offered anti-D routinely at weeks 28 and 34 of their pregnancy. Anti-D only stays in your system for about six weeks, which is why you need to have it more than once"

Hi Bean7. Anti-D aims to stop you developing antibodies. It wont help if you already have them.

It is not given following a miscarriage at 12 weeks because an early miscarriage is not believed to present a risk of blood types mixing.

Good Luck ttc.

Hmm, I have only been offered it at 28 weeks, which I had. I am now 32 weeks and not seeing the midwife for another 3 weeks. No mention of any extra though. Is this normal?

It can depend on the hospital. I am having my baby at UCLH where they are doing a study on anti-D mums & babies. Even if your husband is positive, there is I think a 60% chance your baby could be negative.

At Uclh they took my blood at 12 weeks and found a 90% chance that my baby is negative. THey were meant to take it again at 20 weeks but didn't (because the scan pple said it wasn't necessary - they were wrong). So at 28 weeks instaead of giving me the injection, they did another blood test - which said there was a 99.7% chance that my baby is negative so I don't need to have the injection. They will then take blood from the umbilical cord when it is born to confirm the findings.

I don't know whether other hospitals do this yet, but the midwife running the survey said that eventually they should be able to tell at 12 weeks for sure whether your baby is negative or positive.

I am in my 28weeks now. In my first pregnancy, I had the anti d injection during 28weeks and after birth. So now I want to know if I can wait till birth before taking the anti d. Is there any risk for my baby

Many hospitals give 1500iu at 28 weeks and then wait for the Kleihauer after delivery and give if needed. Others give 500iu at 28 and 34 weeks and then post delivery if needed. By the looks of it, all will eventually be moving over to antenatal testing so there will be a much lower demand for anti D.