Am 34 weeks pregnant and just found out am Rhesus Negative? What does this mean for me and my baby?

Question

I have only just been told that I am Rhesus negative and am 34 weeks pregnant. I have read that I should have been given Anti-D by now but have not, what does this mean for my unborn baby and me? What should I do now?

Answer 1

When you have your first antenatal check (your booking visit) you will be given a number of routine blood tests. One of these tests is used to find out your blood group (A, B, AB, or O) and your Rhesus status (positive or negative). Your blood is also screened for the presence of Rhesus antibodies. Your Rhesus status describes whether or not you have a particular protein on the surface of your red blood cells. If you don't have this protein (the "Rhesus factor") you are considered Rhesus negative, and if you do have it, you are Rhesus positive. About 85 per cent of people are Rhesus positive, although it varies by race.

If a Rhesus-negative mother is carrying a Rhesus-positive baby (the child inherits this from a Rhesus-positive dad), there is a possibility that a problem may occur. Some of the mother's immune system may react to the Rhesus protein on her baby's cells as if it were a "foreign invader" and produce antibodies against it. These will then cross the placenta and attack the baby's Rhesus-positive blood cells causing anaemia and possibly jaundice. Thankfully, though, this problem is very rare these days because of developments in obstetrics.

If a Rhesus-positive mum is carrying a Rhesus-negative baby these problems will not occur.

If your blood test shows you are Rhesus negative, you will be told, and during your pregnancy you will have some extra blood tests to see if you have developed any Rhesus antibodies. This rarely happens, but, if it does, you will be carefully monitored. If a Rhesus-negative woman has an ectopic pregnancy, or if she has bleeding or a miscarriage after 12 weeks of pregnancy, she will be given an injection of anti-D immunoglobulin. These are antibodies which coat any fetal cells in the mother's circulation and destroy them before an immune response is triggered so that the baby is not affected.

In May 2002, the National Institue for Clinical Evidence (NICE) recommended that all pregnant Rhesus-negative women should be offered anti-D routinely at weeks 28 and 34 of their pregnancy. Currently not all NHS hospitals do so, but the number is growing. If you would like to know more about this, talk to your midwife or doctor.

When your baby is born, a sample of his cord blood will be taken so his blood group can be determined. If your baby is Rhesus positive, you will be given an injection of anti-D immunoglobulin. This must be given within 72 hours of delivery so that your immune response is not triggered. If you don't get anti-D, it would cause problems for any future Rhesus-positive babies you might have. If your baby is Rhesus negative, you will not require anti-D after delivery.

In the past, Rhesus disease used to cause problems ranging from severe newborn jaundice to the need for blood transfusions to prevent miscarriages and stillbirths. These days complications associated with being Rhesus negative are rare.


NO MATTER WHAT TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND MIDWIFE
GOOD LUCK

Answer 2

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/rhfactor/a/aa050601a.htm

Here in the USA it is standard care to get an injection of antenatal RH immune globulin at 20-24 weeks gestation. It is still not too late. The biggest chance for the mom's exposure to the baby's blood is at the time of delivery when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus, although it CAN happen anytime during the pregnancy, especially if there has been a fall or an injury.

There are many websites that explain the immunology, but basically the injection will prevent you, the mom, from developing Rh antibodies that will cross the placental barrier and attack the baby. These antibodies attack the red blood cells, causing anemia and jaundice.

Another point: If the baby's father is also Rh negative, this cannot happen. If the BABY is Rh negative this cannot happen. This only happens when the baby's father is Rh positive AND the baby is RH positive. This is why the baby's cord blood is typed immediately after birth and the mom is given the injection if necessary. The injection protects the mom from developing antibodies that will affect her NEXT baby.

Please talk to your doctor or midwife about your concerns. Good luck!

Answer 3

My wife is Rhesus Neg (O-).
You do need the Anti-D injection (my wife is also 34 weeks and had it 2-3 weeks ago.) It doesn't really mean anything for now, what happens is, If your babies blood is a different group to you and your bloods mix during birth, your body will recognise that as an infection and create anti-bodies to fight it off. This won't affect your baby, but will create complications in any future pregnancy (your body will see the new baby as an infection and your immune system will kill it off, causing you to mis-carry next time).
I don't understand how you have reached this stage and only just found out, as you should have had several blood tests done by now. You should raise this with your midwife immediately.
You don't say anything about your circumstances, but I would see this as negligence on the part of your health care provider.

Answer 4

You really need to talk to your midwife or doctor. Did you not have blood tests at your first antenal check up? They should have tested for it then.
It will depend on if the baby is rhesus negative or not. If he/she is positive then there is the chance that jaundice or anemia. There is only a small chance of any problems, as you would have to develop rhesus antibodies. The main risk is miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy in the early stages.
Your baby will be tested after birth to see if he/she is negative, if he/she is positive you will be given an injection of anti d.

The risks are small, if the baby is developing/moving normally then try not to worry too much.

Answer 5

I too am Rhesus negative. After your baby is born (within 24 hours of birth) they will give you an injection of AntiD, this will work to insure that all's well if you have a baby in the future. You will be given regular blood tests for antibodies in your blood, also you'll be asked whether you've ever had a miscarriage, it's important to answer honestly.
Good luck with your pregnancy, don't worry about the baby having 'blue blood' the hospitals monitor you very well nowadays.
The doctor wouldn't test my husbands blood to see if he too was R. negative, this is because he wasn't allowed to assume the baby was his (he didn't mean it as an insult to me) if husband was R.neg, I wouldn't have needed the AntiD

Answer 6

I was the same though I got all the jabs. From what I remember the jabs prevent complications arising if your blood comes into contact with the baby in the VERYunlikely event of a rupture etc. so so far so good. I think you still get one more antiD - I am not sure. After all my jabs it turned out afterwards my baby was rhesus neg. too. Do make sure that this is very clear on your maternity records for the big day. Good luck and do not worry.

Answer 7

Yes, you should ask your doctor.
If this is your first baby there should be no problem. It is only the later pregnancies that can have problems, if antibodies have been formed. Antibodies can be formed if the baby has rh+ blood, (this will happen some of the time if the father is rh+) This can pass through the placenta. It might affect later babies if they are rh+.
You and your baby should be alright.

CHECK OUT
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=31679

I had a friend long ago, before this treatment was available, She had 5 children, none were affected. She took raspberry leaves throughout her pregnancies. I don't know if they were effective for this issue, but she also had very easy births.

Answer 8

you shopuld either ask your doctor, or learn to use google. they should give you an injection, to try and counter the problem, you might loose the baby.

Answer 9

It means that if either of you are in an major accident you will need r-ve blood in a blood transfusion. This is about all it means.

Answer 10

CONFUSED RH NEGATIVE MAYBE MEDICALLY ASK YOUR DOCTOR THINK PINK!