Have any of you refused the Rhogam shot during pregnancy?

Question

If so did the dr. have a problem with that decision. I've read recently some studies that showed a high percentage of children w/autism when their mothers had the rhogam shot.

I already am scheduled to have my tubes tied after this birth, do I still need the shot?

Hey onerockinmamato2 - how is it any of your business why I'm getting my tubes tied?! I love how you are extremely rude and question my decision when all I did was ask about other mother's experiences. So because you are so rude I will not answer you on how many children I have you stupid B@#%h!

Answer 1

If your blood is RH(-) and your husband's is RH(+) then you have to have it if you think you might ever have another child ever. What happens is your baby will automatically have RH(+) blood since that is dominant and when he/she is born you will develop antibodies against it. So, if you were to get pregnant again, your body would fight your baby because of the blood type.

However, if you are 100% positive that your baby's father is RH(-) then there is NO RISK to refusing the RhoGAM shots.

Answer 2

I have never refused it, but my midwife also doesn't give it to me as often as a doctor would. I don't get a shot in mid pregnancy, just one after birth and only if the baby has a positive blood type. Incidentally, I have five kids and none of them are autistic even though I had the shot. I think you risk of miscarrying due to antibodies attacking your future babies is higher than the risk of autism. But, if you are concerned, I think a happy medium would be only having the shot after birth like I do. Then the shot won't affect your current baby.

And as far as RH+ being dominant and your baby automatically having RH+ blood, as a response above said, that is false. I am RH- and my husband is RH+. Of our 5 children, 3 are RH- as well.

ADDED - Ava, even if you are going to have your tubes tied, if this baby is RH+, I would still recommend getting the shot afterwards. The only reason I say this is because you may decide later that you want another baby, even though it seems highly unlikely now. I felt the same way after my 5th, who turned out to be RH+. We thought for sure then that it was our last, but my midwife convinced me to get it anyway. I'm glad I did, because I am now pregnant with #6. After this one, I am having a hysterectomy, so I will probably opt not to get the shot, but that is only because I cannot possibly have another baby without a uterus. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Answer 3

The difference between getting rhogam shot during pregnancy routinely, vs only receiving the shot if certain risk factors occur during pregnancy AND receiving the shot after delivery only if the baby is Rh+ is very, very small.

The risks from blood products (which rhogam is) are small, but not non-existant either.

There is (at least in Canada, I believe you have to import it to the US and it is crazy expensive) a freeze dried version (winRho) that contains NO preservatives. So no mercury, no aluminum, no whatever. I believe all US shots are now "mercury free" (which still has an allowable level of mercury.


"Giving rhogam during pregnancy can reduce the risk of HDN by less than 1%. 2 It is doubtful that the slight benefit acquired by giving rhogam during pregnancy outweighs the risks to the fetus from the injection."
http://www.vaccinetruth.org/rhogam.htm

"The 72 hour limit means that any shot given in the prenatal period is probably arbitrary. Doctors must admit that the 28 week dose (and 36 week with some doctors) is simply given at a random date chosen with the hope that it may protect some babies. An injection given after a known trauma is much more effective and makes much more sense.

Rhogam is made from human blood plasma (as are all anti-D preparations.) It's highly filtered, but it is still a human blood product. There is still risk of disease from donor blood. There are also other side effects such as swelling and inflammation. Hives and anaphylactic effects are among more severe side effects. Some studies have indicated that having the injection may affect the immune response of both mother and baby to other foreign substances entering the blood stream.

Pregnant women who are Rh- and whose partners are Rh+ (two Rh- parents must produce an Rh- baby) must weigh carefully the risks and the benefits of each Rhogam injection. If a baby's blood is attacked by Rh antibodies, the newborn will have Rh disease. This is most likely to happen with the baby coming after a mother is sensitized, not during the pregnancy that the sensitization occurs in. According to the March of Dimes almost all babies born with Rh disease will be cured, but it is still a very serious condition requiring a lot of intensive care.

If a mother chooses to have the injection, she must face any possible side effects on her own body. There may also be side effects for her baby. In addition, she must be sure that the prenatal dose is given within 72 hours of any trauma. In reality, being given a routine dose of a human blood product at 28 weeks is not the best way to protect babies from Rh disease. There's only a slim chance that any major "trauma" will have occurred during the 72 hours before the injection.
http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-pregnancy/prenatal-rhogam.htm

Answer 4

I accepted the shot because I have type O negative blood and my husband is A positive. My son ended up being A positive, too, so I got the shot. I didn't know there was a link to autism. I was just afraid that if I got pregnant again, my body might reject the fetus for having a different blood type. That might be a bigger risk than the autism thing, I'm not sure.

Answer 5

The risk of complications from not having the shot are much, much higher than autism. I would raise your concerns to your doctor. Each of us has the right to refuse any treatment that we don't agree with, but it's important to have your information straight. You can find a lot of stuff on the internet, it doesn't mean that all of it is relavent or even truthful. It's important for you to voice your concerns to your doctor. It's also important for you to understand what the Rhogam shot is for before deciding you don't want one.

Answer 6

I am rhnegative additionally.. I ended up getting the injection a couple of weeks ago, presently 30 weeks pregnant. I feel if I had of recognized what my partners blood sort is, and he was once poor, i wouldnt have afflicted.. But i dont comprehend what he is, and simply determined to have the injection, chance is very minimal and there isnt many recognized circumstances of getting a desiese from the injection. I dont even recognize if i plan to have youngsters someday.. But better to be reliable than sorry. I do know the suggestion of taking a product comprised of other peoples blood could sound.. Alarming, it definetly concerned me for awhile, however for those who had been in a obstacle where you needed a blood transfusion or you could possibly die, i think everyone knows what the reply can be..

Answer 7

My mom was actually part of the initial study in the '60's for the Rhogam shot. She is Rh- and I was born Rh+. She had two more children after me (both Rh+) and none of us have any problems.

Answer 8

Even with the coincidence of autism. If your RH negative is way more better to face the odds of autism than have your body fight against your baby. I would give it a second chance and take the shot. The outcome is better if you take it, than not.

Answer 9

as a mother of an autistic child I can tell you that there is no link with the rho shot, since I did not need itor get it. There is no risk from normal vaccinations, since they no longer have mercury in them, there is no risk from letting a child watch too much tv, since all my nephews have the same early childhood experience as my son and none of them affected. The rho shot will keep your body from attacking a 2nd pregnancy, so unless you want to risk a miscarrage get the shot.

Answer 10

i did and my baby is healthy. and baby turned out to have rh negative blood too! my doc didnt agree with my decision but I explained that I'm staying drug free throughout my whole pregnancy including booster shots.

EDIT: I dont see why I got thumbs down signs, is it cause of my decision, well my baby as healthy and I'm fine, the question was if I refused the shot and I answered that I did, man some people are so criticizing.