Rh negative

[Winterbaby23]

Hey! I’m new to the forum , hoping someone can share a little insight into this. I am currently 10 weeks pregnant in my first pregnancy , my blood test results came back and the midwife said I’m rhesus negative. I’ve tried looking online and researching but Google loves worst case scenario and I’ve been trying to explain in to parents and in laws because they keep asking questions but they don’t understand what the risk is. I’m O- and my mam just keeps texting me saying she’s A+ and why weren’t there concerns when she was pregnant with me and maybe that’s why I was born early etc. I’ve tried explaining that it’s the other way around for the blood types but I don’t know how else to explain. It’s hard trying to explain something when I don’t have a lot of information on it myself and I’m just worried that my blood is going to attack the baby’s and cause problems in labour or at some point in the pregnancy. It’s still early so it’s a long time to wait and know everything’s fine.

[Purpledoggy]

You will be given an anti-D injection to prevent an immune response to the baby, so try not to worry too much. The medics are very ‘on this’. The problem is caused by having antibodies against Rh factor. If you are Rh+ve you don’t have antibodies against it, otherwise you’d attack your own blood. So, it doesn’t matter if baby is +ve or -ve. If you’re Rh-ve, you can develop antibodies to Rh factor, which is only a problem if the baby is +ve. Have a read here and here:

acog.org/womens-health/faqs...

nhs.uk/conditions/rhesus-di...

xx

[Winterbaby23 in reply to Purpledoggy]

thank you so much!

[Seb9]

I'm O-, congratulations on having amazing blood! We're known as the universal donor as our blood can be given to anybody! I am a regular blood donor and get treated like a celebrity at the sessions 😍They treatment that they use for pregnancy is really effective and been around for a long time, my mum had the anti D injection when pregnant with me and I'm 42 this year.

With my first pregnancy I had the anti D injection at 28 weeks and then again just after birth.

The only time you might need it any earlier is if you have a bleed, then contact your midwife and they may give you another injection to be on the safe side.

With my second pregnancy they actually typed the babies blood and she was also O- so I didn't have to have the injection. I think this is becoming more popular. The nhs had got some great information about it

nhs.uk/conditions/rhesus-di...

[Winterbaby23 in reply to Seb9]

thank you so much! I did have a look on there but me being me I got stuck on the complications page and panicked hahah my midwife did mention an injection but it was a very quick and vague conversation

[Seb9 in reply to Winterbaby23]

With any luck baby will come back matching your blood and you won't even need the injections.I think because my mum had it with me and I already knew my blood type was O-, that I was quite lucky because I just assumed I'd need the anti D, so didn't really research much more about it.

Your don't normally get it till towards the end of your pregnancy so the midwife probably won't really go into it much until closer to you actually needing it.

I have two children now, and had two relatively easy births. I was induced because of gestational diabetes, so nothing to do with blood type and had very healthy babies, who are now nearly 2 and 4.

[Winterbaby23 in reply to Seb9]

we rang my boyfriends doctors to see if we can find out his blood type, and hope if he’s negative it’ll stop us from worrying about it. It’s reassuring to know that I’m not alone and it’s still possible to have a healthy baby at the end of it.

[Seb9 in reply to Winterbaby23]

If you've had your bloods done already, can you ask them to check babies status? They told me at my 12 week scan after I'd had my booking in bloods done.The anti D injection really does the job or needs to, so try not to worry about it too much, it's really very common and well managed.

[SRA8 in reply to Seb9]

Well done for being a donor. I receive regular blood transfusion and I cannot explain how much of it difference it has made to my quality of life. Thank you to you and all who donate from the bottom of my heart.

[emmaemma5]

Try not to worry. I am rhesus negative and worried in my first pregnancy as like you I didn't know a lot about it. It did not affect the pregnancy at all apart from an injection at 28 weeks. With my second I had a few episodes of bleeding and each time I called the maternity assessment unit and had to have a blood test to decide if I needed an anti d injection. I actually ended up having about 5 throughout my pregnancy which was inconvenient having to travel to the hospital but baby was born at 39 weeks completely healthy.

Congratulations on your pregnancy

[Looloobell]

you will be fine just means you need a needle called anti d I’m a- and have three beautiful children try not to read up on it so much as can put the fear of god into you

[Abbyzee]

Hello dear. I am also rhesus negative and there is absolutely nothing to be worried about. Your blood would be taken at some point at about 12 or 13weeks to check the baby's blood group. If the baby is also negative then nothing would be done as its OK. But if the baby is positive you will have to take an injection at about 28weeks to make ur body regulate the antibodies produced by the mixture of both antigen. Being negative is a rare blood type and its unique. Your blood cannot be found everywhere as only few people have this. But however, there is absolutely nothing to be worried about. Everything is fine my love.

[5678sar]

hi! I have the same blood and have just had a baby. They test the baby’s blood type via your blood test (very clever!) and then once they know the baby’s blood type they then offer anti d injections. It really wasn’t a big deal so don’t let it worry you Also we should give blood in the future because anyone can use our blood !

[Seb9 in reply to 5678sar]

Congratulations on your baby. You definitely should give blood, I'm up to nearly my 25 donation and I'd encourage everyone to do it. It's amazing getting the text to tell you which hospital your blood has gone to and know it's going to help someone 😁

[Df22]

nothing to worry about. Like previously said, they check the baby’s blood during pregnancy to decide whether you need anti D injection or not. This is routine (info for the in laws) 🙄

[FirstTim3r]

Hello there, I am also O- and expecting my first child. My antiD BHG injection appointment is booked in week 33 but if I had a bump/ fall or maybe bleed, Id have to contact them IMMEDIATELY for them to assess whether I need the injection sooner - I was told they don't usually have the injections in stock or readily available and that it may take a few days hence the emphasis on telling them immediately to buy time.