[Pink.Crazy]

As I wrote earlier, yesterday I miscarried again, it was my 3rd pregnancy.
My 1st pregnancy was a breeze, altho I did have a subchronic haematoma.. but it didn't cause any problems. Tyler was born 9lb 2oz and very healthy!
My 2nd pregnancy ended when I was 11 weeks.. baby had only grown to 8w5d and had no heartbeat.
When I was reading up about being rhesus neg, it said it doesn't affect your 1st pregnancy, but can affect your 2nd/3rd, etc.. so now I am paranoid that the reason I suffer losses is down to my blood group? What if I never have a successful pregnancy again????
The Dr did say that being rhesus neg is only a factor in late pregnancy, but ugh... I don't know. I need an answer.
I'm also concerned that I didn't get my Anti D (is that what you call Rhogam or something?) after Tyler was born... I had one at 28 weeks, but nothing after birth.

[mommy x 10]

If your son has - blood type then you wouldn't need a shot after he was born. You only need the Rhogam shot if you have a child with + blood type. They have always given me one at 28 weeks and they usually give one if you have any bleeding during your pregnancy.

I am A- so I have dealt with Rhogam with all my pregnancies. They have always given me a shot at 28 weeks and then after I had my babies they tested the babies blood. Dh has a + blood type and all my kids so far have ended up with + blood types so I have always had to have a Rhogam shot after delivery. I was also given the shot when I had bleeding in my pregnancy, before I lost the baby and then another shot after the d&c. I'm not sure I needed that one since I had one at the end of Sept and that was the beginning of Nov but I was in no mood to argue or really even talk about it after my d&c.

[Pink.Crazy]

Thanks for the reply... is it terrible that I don't know what blood group my Son is in? How on earth can I not know that...

[lex1078]

Regardless of your babies blood type, you should get the shot. It's ok that you don't know your sons blood type. I get the Rhogam shot also. I'm O- and DH is A+, I believe. After my miscarriage I got a shot, and also after I gave birth to my girls, I got the shot. I have no idea what blood type they were. I was advised that I would get the shot at 28 weeks and also after birth. My Dr. feels that regardless of the baby's blood type I would still get the shot.

[mommy x 10]

There's no need to get a shot if your baby has - blood type, but I don't see why it would hurt to get it. If the baby has a + blood type then there is a chance that at some point during delivery or if you have bleeding during pregnancy that baby's blood could come in contact with your blood. If you have - blood and baby has + then your body would see the + blood and would make antibodies for the +rh factor, the first baby would probably be ok, since delivery is usually where there is a chance for the blood to mix. If baby is -Rh like you and the blood mixes, there is no problem, no antibodies made, no need for shot. If baby is + and blood mixes then the shot is supposed to neutralize the +rh and keep your body from making antibodies so next baby will be ok if he has + blood. If you didn't get the shot, then when you get pregnant with another baby with + blood then your body would have antibodies against the + rh factor and would attack baby's blood, but if 2nd baby has - blood type there is no + for the body to attack.

My mom is A- and I am A- and then she had my brother who is + blood type and he had RH disease and almost died shortly after birth. She always told me it was because they didn't give her a shot after me and stressed about me getting the shot. I talked to my docs with my first and he explained that she wouldn't need one after me. All I can figure is maybe she had bleeding early on with him and her body made antibodies early and that caused it. I've done lots of reading about it since and am in nursing school now and had several different ob's deliver my babies and they have always tested my blood first visit, even though I tell them I am A-, and inform me I have - blood and will need rhogam at 28 weeks. Then I get the shot again if my babies have + blood and so far all 9 have, not sure about the baby I lost. And don't feel bad about not knowing your child's blood type, most times they just came in and told me I needed the shot and I asked what blood type they had and would look or I'd ask someone else later, sometimes they would come and tell the blood type and say I'd need another shot. I don't remember their type now, just their Rh factor.

[Augie]

I asked my doctor about it because I have had three losses and was never offered the Rhogham shot. He tested me for the antibodies and said that if it showed that I had them he would give me the shot. The test came back showing that despite my losses, with one as late as 11 weeks, I do not have the antibodies and therefore do not need the shot yet.

He told me that the chances of yours and baby's blood mixing in a miscarriage are slim. (Yes, it CAN happen, but it's not likely.) I would kindly insist they check your antibodies (it's a simple blood test) and go from there.

[~Lynda~]

yep, she is right... but my ob has given me the shot after every miscarriage. I am A neg. the only time I didn't need the shot was with the chemical pregnancy as it was too early to have any blood exchange.

if you are very very worried about it, get tested to see if you have any antibodies. the shot will only help you if you have right after the m/c. you have 72 hours from m/c to get the shot for it to be effective. it won't help after that.

I'm so very sorry for your loss hun!