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Questions about Rhesus factor



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 27th 04, 09:37 PM
Cathy
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

Hi everyone, My nearly-15 month old has decided to wean herself, so I am
hoping that this will mean the return of my fertility, so that we can really
TTC in earnest. But in the meantime I want to get some answers to my
quesions. I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate. Anyway, what is
the likelihood of complications with no. 2 - any one with experiences both
postitive and negative? And would this preclude me in any way form having a
home birth? I'm sure it would depend on the midwife, but again, I'm just
after experiences. I had a hospital birth with no. 1, and although it was
probably the best place to be, as I couldn't get DD to latch till the 4th
day, it may have been easier at home, as the midwife may have had more time
to spend with me (I am guessing here). With no. 1, I hated the fact that DH
had to go almost immediately -he got no sleep, I got no sleep, and he didn't
feel the baby was his till we got home 5 days later. So I'm just looking at
my options really, as I've got oodles of time to make decisions!

Thanks in advance,
Cathy
DD 8 Jan 2003
TTC #2




  #2  
Old March 27th 04, 11:28 PM
Unadulterated Me
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

Cathy wrote:

After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate.


That's fine, the window for receiving it is with in 72 hours of the
birth. It actually shows they most likely took the time to test your
daughters blood group before they just jumped right in and injected you
with something you may not of needed.

Good luck on ttc.

Andrea
  #3  
Old March 28th 04, 12:30 AM
Serenity
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

My SIL is Rh- and had her 3rd at home.
S


  #4  
Old March 28th 04, 01:26 AM
Ericka Kammerer
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

Cathy wrote:

Hi everyone, My nearly-15 month old has decided to wean herself, so I am
hoping that this will mean the return of my fertility, so that we can really
TTC in earnest. But in the meantime I want to get some answers to my
quesions. I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate.


The window for effectiveness is 72 hours.

Anyway, what is
the likelihood of complications with no. 2 - any one with experiences both
postitive and negative?


The only question is whether you got sensitized. You can
check that with a simple blood test before you get pregnant. (You'll
get tested as part of your regular prenatal bloodwork anyway, but
if you would not want to go through a complicated Rh sensitized
pregnancy in the unlikely event that you were sensitized, you
could check in advance.) Odds are very good that you are not
sensitized.

And would this preclude me in any way form having a
home birth? I'm sure it would depend on the midwife, but again, I'm just
after experiences.


I can't imagine a midwife who'd turn you away for
being Rh- as long as you weren't sensitized. I had three
Rh+ babies at home, and I'm Rh-.

Best wishes,
Ericka

  #5  
Old March 28th 04, 04:39 AM
hierophant
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

"Cathy" wrote in message ...

I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate.


The injection is usually timed to be within 72 hours (which is an
arbitrary number), but it can be immediately following birth or up to
one year. (FYI: The Rh(D)- factor is recessive, so when paternity is
certain and his blood type is Rh(D)+, mother will be making Rh(D)+
babies.)

And would this preclude me in any way form having a
home birth?


Nope! Depending where you are, midwives have access to RhoGAM in
their practices. If not, they can refer you to a physician (on your
insurance plan if possible to save you $) for the prophylactic RhoGAM
at 28 weeks and postpartum.

Kris, an apprentice midwife
  #6  
Old March 28th 04, 04:44 AM
hierophant
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

I just wrote...

The injection is usually timed to be within 72 hours (which is an arbitrary
number), but it can be immediately following birth or up to one year.


erp... I meant one month, not year. Rh(D)- mothers to Rh(D)+ babies
should be given RhoGAM within 72 hours for best results, but up to 28
days following birth before mother mounts an immune response to Rh(D)+
fetal cells. (Source for that is Understanding Diagnostic Tests in
the Childbearing Year, Anne Frye; a clearing house for summaries and
guidelines to labs for midwives)

Kris
  #7  
Old March 28th 04, 06:58 AM
Amy
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor


"hierophant" wrote in message
om...
"Cathy" wrote in message

...

I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I

was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate.


The injection is usually timed to be within 72 hours (which is an
arbitrary number), but it can be immediately following birth or up to
one year. (FYI: The Rh(D)- factor is recessive, so when paternity is
certain and his blood type is Rh(D)+, mother will be making Rh(D)+
babies.)


An Rh- mother and Rh+ father can still produce Rh- children, my parents and
I are proof of this. True it is more likely that the baby will be Rh+, but
not definite, if the father has one Rh+ allele and one Rh- one, making him
Rh+, the baby still has a 50% chance of being Rh-, as there is a 50% chance
the father will pass on his Rh- allele. If the father has two Rh+ alleles
however, the baby must be Rh+. Hence why they still tested my son's blood
type before deciding whether I needed Rhogam.



  #8  
Old March 28th 04, 09:04 AM
Dagny
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor


"Cathy" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone, My nearly-15 month old has decided to wean herself, so I am
hoping that this will mean the return of my fertility, so that we can

really
TTC in earnest. But in the meantime I want to get some answers to my
quesions. I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth,

I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I

was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate. Anyway, what

is
the likelihood of complications with no. 2 - any one with experiences both
postitive and negative? And would this preclude me in any way form having

a
home birth? I'm sure it would depend on the midwife, but again, I'm just
after experiences. I had a hospital birth with no. 1, and although it was
probably the best place to be, as I couldn't get DD to latch till the 4th
day, it may have been easier at home, as the midwife may have had more

time
to spend with me (I am guessing here). With no. 1, I hated the fact that

DH
had to go almost immediately -he got no sleep, I got no sleep, and he

didn't
feel the baby was his till we got home 5 days later. So I'm just looking

at
my options really, as I've got oodles of time to make decisions!


If you are not sensitized -- makes no difference in birth location.

Probably even if you did have a freak sensitization but your titer stays low
throughout the preg -- makes no difference in birth location. Very low
titers do not cause overt disease. You get low titers from prenatal Rhogam
itself, which is standard of care in the US.

Typically what a homebirth midwife will do is check the baby's rhesus status
using cord blood on these little testing cards. Then if the baby is
positive she'll give the rhogam shot. My kid's blood never showed positive
on the cards, but I had some prenatal testing done that indicated that the
baby was Rh+. Now that may have been wrong and my baby really is Rh-, but I
went ahead and had some Rhogam anyway. We'll see what her blood type
actually turns out to be later I guess.

As to prenatal Rhogam (antenatal Anti-D), it's controversial whether you
need it or not. I would not take it during pregnancy unless I knew I had
fetal cells in my blood, and even then, I would look hard at the benefit I
anticipated having.

Sometimes the hospital environment impedes breastfeeding -- stresses baby
out. Or mom had drugs during labor.

-- Dagny




  #9  
Old March 28th 04, 09:41 AM
Cathy
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Default Thanks was Questions about Rhesus factor

Thanks heaps to everyone for your responses. I sort of thought things would
be o.k., but I had such an easy first pregnancy, I suppose I am looking at
worst case scenarios for the next one. But Rhesus factor is one thing to be
mostly eliminated now - and I will start looking seriously at a homebirth.
I thought about it for last time, but I moved cities mid way through the
pregnancy, and I had real trouble getting a midwife, and she was a hospital
only one.

So now all we have to do is get no. 2 on the way!

Cathy


  #10  
Old March 28th 04, 04:55 PM
Ericka Kammerer
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Default Questions about Rhesus factor

hierophant wrote:

"Cathy" wrote in message ...


I am Rh -, my husband and daughter are Rh +. After DD's birth, I
had the Rhogam shot (or the equivalent) about 2 days after the birth. I was
surprised at this - I thought it would be almost immediate.



The injection is usually timed to be within 72 hours (which is an
arbitrary number), but it can be immediately following birth or up to
one year.


Huh? If you miss the 72 hour window, your odds of
getting sensitized increase dramatically!

(FYI: The Rh(D)- factor is recessive, so when paternity is
certain and his blood type is Rh(D)+, mother will be making Rh(D)+
babies.)


Not quite. Dad could be phenotypically Rh(D)+ and
genotypically +-. In that case, there's a 50/50 chance
that any baby will be Rh-. My mother is B-, my father
is O+ and I am O- (and my sister is negative, though I'm
not sure whether she's B- or O-)--which was a good thing
since we were born prior to the widespread use of anti-D.

Best wishes,
Ericka

 




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