Seeking Other Moms Who Are RH Negative

Hello,
I am RH negative. I have had one miscarrige. After that i got a lifetime shot that they told me should not cause this to happen again. I have a 3year old and i never had a problem caring him. I dont know of any new information about this. If you had problems and have had the shot i really dont know why this would have caused issues. My sisters are both RH negative and they had the shot and 2 children each without any issues.
I wish i could be more help, sorry

S.

Dear L.,

Were your last two babies positive or negative? Don't mind me asking I'm a midwife and I'd like to help explore your questions and concerns. Why were the pregnancies more challenging? Frequent antibody screens? I've dealt with RH neg. issues so if I can help at all I would love to.

Rh sensitized or isoimmunization Rh is the development of antibodies against rh antigens, the antigen involved in almost all cases being the D antigen. Rh isoimmunization of Rh-negative women may occur after transfusion of Rh-positive blood or during pregnancy with an Rh-positve fetus, when the mother is exposed to fetal blood during delivery, amniocentesis, miscarriage or abortion and may result in the development of erythroblasotsis fetalis in any subsequent pregnancy with an Rh-positive fetus. It's pretty much like the other ladies explained it, your body attacks the baby's development but if detected with the antibody screens treatment can occur.

Did you see a perinatologist your last two pregnancies? There is also the whole ABO incompatibilty issue as well, did your baby develop problems?

Why didn't you get the shot "in time". Do you mean prenatally or the postpartum period? Usually Rhogam is administered at 28 weeks gestation and within 72 hours after birth if the baby is Rh-positive. I type and factor the baby's blood within hours after birth plus send cord blood to the lab to verify blood type and factor to get the mom Rhogam asap.

Did you know that there is a brand of Rhogam that does not have preseravtives that you can have special ordered after delivery?

It is hard to determine how best to answer your questions without more info. I suggest you contact your doctors office and get all of you prenatal and Labor & Birth records from the hospital. It's a good idea to put the pieces of the puzzle together so that you can ask the right questions and be fully informed if you decide you want to have another baby.

If I can help any more just e-mail ____@____.com

M.
Something about me: wife, mother of 9 founder of www.adobedoulas.com childbirth educator, doula, doula trainer, midwife and pretty much a sahm when not doing doula/midwife stuff

--sorry that this is long...another midwife's answer--
L., in reading your post, it sounds as if you are already sensitized. Is that correct? Sensitization happens when positive blood from the baby is introduced into your blood stream. Your body sees these positive antigens as foreign cells and develops antibodies to attack them (just like when germs from a cold enter your blood stream and you produce antibodies to fight the cold). Becoming sensitized during your first pregnancy should have no effect on that baby, but can have dire effects on a pregnancy IF you carry an Rh+ baby (and it is possible to have an Rh- baby even if your husband is Rh+) AND IF your body detects the Rh+ blood in the placenta.

If you are *already* sensitized, you should never receive an additional shot of RhoGAM. At the beginning of each pregnancy, an antibody screen is done with the rest of the routine lab work. If if is reactive, that means that fetal blood from a previous pregnancy already entered your system and your body has begun antibody production. RhoGAM is of no use to an isoimmunized woman. HOWEVER...RhoGAM is essentially an immunization that is effective for approximately 12 weeks. An antibody screen performed within 12 weeks of receiving RhoGAM will come back positive as a result of the drug itself, so further testing MUST be done to determine if you are truly sensitized (isoimmunized) or if the screen is picking up the antibodies present in the RhoGAM.

A new lab test is being developed to determine the baby's blood type before birth. If you are sensitized, then I can't begin to imagine the worry that you've been through with your pregnancies. Not all Rh+ babies conceived by sensitized Rh- women miscarry. It is very challenging, indeed to have such a high-risk pregnancy.

Now, if you were not sensitized, and I misunderstood your post, being Rh- does not make your pregnancy high-risk. The use of RhoGAM has caused the sensitization rate to drop from about 17% to about 1%. RhoGAM is a blood product, but there have been no reports of blood-borne illnesses resulting from its use for the past 30 years. Also, none of the immune-globulin drugs like RhoGAM or Bay-Rho(D) contain mercury (though they used to).

~V.
P.S. RhoGAM is made from the blood of women who are sensitized, so if you happen to be sensitized, your blood is very valuable. That's a freaky thought, isn't it?

Hello,
I am RH Negative as well but did receive the Rhogam shot. If you don't mind me asking, did your doctor not know about the shot? This might help you with some information if you have not already read it.
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth...

You should visit the RhNegativeRegistry.com for more information.

L.,
I'm RH negative as well. I would like to say there is a lot of new information, but there really isn't anything new. The important thing is to get your shot at 28 weeks and if you experience any major bleeding prior to that, you will need a shot within 24-48 hours to protect yourself and your baby.

Below is a good article that talks about the condition, explains what it really is and talks through the concerns. I think it would be helpful to you.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/4/1680_51841.htm

Take care,
A.

L., I have not seen new information out recently, but I, too, am Rh- (O-). I had the Rhogam shot with every pregnancy and again after my daughter was born because she is Rh +. If you don't mind me asking, why did you not get the shot? It is my understanding that, if the baby is Rh +, your body will try to abort it because it looks at it as a foreign object/virus. If your baby is Rh-, you should be fine. I have four children and all three of my boys were Rh-, but my daughter is Rh+ (good for her!). It is very important to get good prenatal care. You should speak with your doctor if you are planning another pregnancy and make sure you get the initial Rhogam just in case.

Hi L. -
I am RH Negative. As long as you know you are now - that's half the battle. Just make sure your OB knows and they'll give you the Rhogam (sp?) shot when you're supposed to get it and mark your chart so that in the hospital if you're children aren't RH Negative like you - they'll give you another shot. I hope that helps...half the battle is knowing...and since you know, all should be well. B.

Have you seen a perinatologist. I would strongly recommend that you do. If you have been sensitized then all your future pregnancies are at risk, and i think all you can do is keep trying for a baby that is RH-, because all of your positive babies could be attacked and killed. Are you 100% sure you were sensitized? Just not getting Rhogam in time doesn't necessarily mean you're sensitized, but if the baby's blood was mixed with oyur blood at some point during the pregnancy or birth then oyu would be sensitized. Did you have a blood test that confirmed that you have indeed been sensitized? What happened during your next 2 pregnancies?

I am RH negative also. I don't know much about it. I did have the shot during and after pregnancy with my son. Husband had a vasectomy so now trying to reverse to have another baby. The shot is meant to protect your baby from the anti-bodies; which is all I really know.

I have had two children and with each one I had to get the rhogam shot before and after pregnancy. Being RH negative is only a problem if your blood comes in contact with your child's while they are still in the whom. Your body will then fight your child like it is a foreign object. However, this rarely happens unless your sac breaks. If you have more concerns you should discuss it with your obgyn...they will have all the answers specific to you.

It has nothing to do with getting any shots in time with the first child. When the first child was born, your body made antibodies. With each child your body makes more antibodies, and has more of a reaction.

I am O - and my husband is O + I haven't had a problem with either of my kids. But then again I had the Rhogam shot. My mom was born in an RH negitive situation, and there was no complications. From what I understand about it, if the the baby is positive and you are negitive if they some how come in cotact with each other (ex sac leaking fluid) then your body will fight the baby like an infection. I think that, that is very rare when it happens. D.

I am RH negative, and am pregnant with my second right now. My sister and my mom are both RH negative too. I am curious if they gave you just one shot or two with your first pregnancy? I received one at 18 weeks, and then another right after my son was born because his blood was not RH negative. How did you find out your blood had been sensitized?

The information I got on it is probably what you already know, and came from the doctor. I also surfed around the internet a little, but I don't have any specific websites. However, now I am more curious about it after your post.

Hello, My name is D. I am RH Negative. I have had 3 pregnancies and all have been ok. The first pregnancy was hard on me 29 hours of pain. But my twins were ok although they were rh positive so I had to have the shot twice. My third pregnancy was horrible. Being RH negative isnt that scary. I wish you luck and the best at every visit.
D.

I just came home from the doctor from getting the rhogam shot. I had a miscarriage over the weekend and went in to get the shot. Have they done bloodwork to see if you have anti-bodies toward red blood cells? I've had a miscarriage and 4 children and they always check to see. If you have anti-bodies, your doctor should be able to counsel you as to what to do. I knew someone who had antibodies against the red blood cells and the platelets. The doctor was able to treat it so that she delivered full term. If you don't have anti-bodies, then they give the shot at around 5 months and after delivery or miscarriage. Ask your doctor about it or find a doctor that can answer your questions. Good Luck!

Hi L. -

I too am Rh negative and my husband positive. We are considered Rh incompatible. During pregnancy you are to receive a rhogam shot at 19 or 20 weeks, or is it 26 weeks - I don't recall. After the baby is born, they test the babies blood to see what type they are. If the baby is the same as you, nothing further needs to be done. If the baby is positive, you need another rhogam shot. After any miscarriages, they normally do this as a precaution as well. I'm not sure what "sensitized" means for you? I know the reason for the rhogam is so that with consecutive pregnancies your body does not see the baby as a foreign substance and try to rid itself of it.

My first child had the same blood type as me. I miscarried and received rhogam with the second and the third had positive blood type and he was certainly harder to carry.

Anyway - not sure if this helps at all. . .
M.

I am also RH Negitive, and have received the Rhogam shots after all my pregnancies, my husband is A+, I am O-. The shot is to prevent miscarriages in future pregnancies. How I understand it, the antibodies in the positive blood destoy the antibodies in negitive blood types, and subsequently you are unable to sustain future pregnancies. If it's your first pregnancy and your baby has positive blood, you may still be able to carry that baby to term, but your future prenancy will be in jeopordy if you do not receive a Rhogam shot, because yours and the babies blood mixed and build up antibodies that affect future pregnancies. If lets say your babies blood and yours is negative, then you can go to term without the shot without problems.

My first pregnacy resulted in a miscarriage and I received a Rhogam shot because I learned of mine and my husbands blood type, and was able to go on and have three successful pregnancies resulting in three beautiful children.

Good luck and hope this helps. Any questions feel free to email me.

Hello L.,

All of the information you already know is all that is out there. If you have had two subsequent pregnancies you know what you will run into if you decide to have more babies.

I would caution anyone to know all the risks when you are injecting a blood product into your body. The Rhogam shot is a wonderful thing for many people, but it does have the occasional problem. When you are weighing your options make sure to ask a lot of questions and get the info asap so you have time to really think it through.

Here is a link:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbase/topic/major/hw13594...

HTH,
M.

I would suggest if you have a lot of questions, you should ask your care provider.