# Anyone RH Negative???



## momz3 (May 1, 2006)

*I am and I'm kinda concerned about future pregnancies. After the birth of our daughter, Alexis, I didn't get a shot of rhogam...I was stressed and depressed and mourning my baby that I didn't even give it a second guess. When we came home, it occured to me that the reason that I didn't receive my rhogam after delivery was because I told the docs that I wanted my tubes tide. The attending physician didn't tie them in rush to repair my uterus from the rupture it had endured. Anyway, would I get a rhogam shot BEFORE my next pregnancy or in the beginning?? I'm terrified of being responsible for RH disease in my baby...*


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## maxmama (May 5, 2006)

Have an antibody screen run. If you're sensitized, you're sensitized, and there's nothing that can be done at this point. The chances of an affected fetus in the first sensitized pregnancy are very small, though.

Are you sure you didn't get RhoGAM? It's given well after delivery anyway. You can check your records if you want, but the antibody screen will give you more information.


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## littlechickarina (Jun 12, 2006)

I am sorry that you are in this position.

They may have tested your baby after the delivery. If she was Rhneg also then you would not have been given additional Rhogam.

I agree that having an antibody screen is the best idea.


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## iris0110 (Aug 26, 2003)

I'm sorry.







I am also RHnegative. I was very worried because I had a rhogam shot after delivery with my angel daughter, but I had retained placenta that we didn't know about for 4 months and I was afraid that would sensitize me. Luckily it didn't, and when I tested during my next pregnancy I was fine. For some reason all of my kiddos have been positive. I agree that you should ask your ob for the test. A rhogam shot now will not do anything at all for you.







s again.


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## Naughty Dingo (May 23, 2004)

Mama, I am thinking of you. I too have worried about sensitization. I agree with the rest of these Mamas, have the blood test to determine your sensitization status. Hopefully it will be negative and you won't have to worry about this issue any further.








ND


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## wifeandmom (Jun 28, 2005)

I'd have them run the test to see if you are sensitized before getting pg again. If you aren't, you have nothing to worry about.

If you are, there is nothing you can do to change that fact, and I'm pretty sure getting Rhogham at any point forward would be a wasted effort anyway. Kinda like trying to vaccinate for something after you already have it, kwim?

I don't believe it's likely you'd become sensitized in the first place, but I'm not sure on the actual stats for that happening. Really, the only way to know if it occurred is to have the blood test and go from there.

If you ARE sensitized, obviously you'll need to seek care from someone with experience in this area to determine exactly what risks you'll be facing with any future pregnancy.


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## momz3 (May 1, 2006)

Thanks for all your replies. The RH factor is such a scarey thing







Anyway, my first step, today, is I will go up to the hospital for my records and check. Maybe my baby was RH- and I didn't need RhoGAM...but they do they take blood from still births? Maybe I was too drugged up to remember anything, but today I will check and tell you guys what they said. Thanks!


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## Marsupialmom (Sep 28, 2003)

Please be screened. My grandmother, sister, and I are both RH negative. My grandmother had 8 pregnancies only one ending in miscarrage/still births of twins. She never had any issues with with RH issues. On the other hand my sister had improper care after miscarrage did/does have issues but I do think overall health played a major part. My sister is less healthy than my grandmother was.


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## Bartock (Feb 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlechickarina*
I am sorry that you are in this position.

They may have tested your baby after the delivery. If she was Rhneg also then you would not have been given additional Rhogam.

I agree that having an antibody screen is the best idea.

Yes this is true, with my 1st ds he was 0- so I did not need the shot, with 2nd ds he was 0+ so I got the shot.


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## momz3 (May 1, 2006)

Okey dokey, so I went up to the hospital. I expected a few sheets of paper and in big font "GAVE RHOGHAM TO PATIENT" lol...first, the pages were a mile high. Had everything in there *I think* Some pages were typed and some were copies from the attending physician's handwriting about me. So I couldn't read those. From what I read it doesn't seem that I had the shot. It did have that I've taken it in early pregnancy due to sponaneous bleeding & again at 28 weeks. But nothing indicating whether or not I had it afterwards. They did do my bloodwork...several times in fact before delivery and during my hospital stay, but no RhoGAM. So I called my physician (was on vacation during all of this)to see if I had the RhoGAM and I'm waiting for a call back. Hopefully I can get in tomorrow for a blood screen if I didn't and we'll go from there . I have an appt next week on the 26th for my pp checkup, but I don't wanna wait that long. Anyway, I will post again when someone (doc or nurse) calls me back!! Thanks guys


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## wifeandmom (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momz3*
It did have that I've taken it in early pregnancy due to sponaneous bleeding & again at 28 weeks. But nothing indicating whether or not I had it afterwards. They did do my bloodwork...several times in fact before delivery and during my hospital stay, but no RhoGAM.

How many weeks were you when you delivered your daughter? The 28 week shot will protect you for approximately 12 weeks, so if you had her before the 40 week mark, you might still be ok from that shot.

Obviously there was no mention of your daughter's blood type in your records? You might have to get HER records for that, but they *should* have tested her blood as a matter of routine.

Quite frankly, I'd be LIVID if they 'forgot' to give me the shot after delivery. There simply is no excuse for it if that's what happened. You shouldn't have to remind them to do so, ESPECIALLY while you were dealing with a dead baby. The more I thought about this post last night, the more irritated I got on your behalf.

Hopefully everything will turn out just fine, maybe she was Rh - as well, or maybe they gave you the shot and you just can't read the writing to see where they documented it.


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## egoldber (Nov 18, 2002)

You may also want to check the itemized statement from your hospital bill and/or your insurance EOBs. I know that most every single med I received at the hospital was detailed in there.

I apologize, I can't remember if your DD was born still or if she died after birth. If it was after birth, then they probably did type her in case she needed a transfusion. I know that my DD received 2 or 3 blood transfusions in her first few hours after birth, and they were born under similar circumstances.


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## momz3 (May 1, 2006)

wifeandmom. I just got off the phone with a friend and she pretty much had the same response as you did. She said they shouldn't have just "forgot" and there is no excuse. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, yet because I'm not sure whats what . So I don't wanna get all worked up over a misunderstanding. I had her and the end of my 38th week so HOPEFULLY I was protected. That could've been another reason why I didn't receive it. I surely hope so. My friend also said that they should've had her blood type...however I didn't *see* it in my records...would she have separate records from me if she died in utero? Egoldber, she was stillborn. Aside from looking for the RhoGAM shot in my records, going through it all really sucked. I hated reading the doctor report about how her umbilical cord was this way and that way...I think thats why I just skimmed through it, left and decided to call my doctor. Going through the records brings EVERYTHING back.
****still waiting on the call from the doc office****







:


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## egoldber (Nov 18, 2002)

Quote:

would she have separate records from me if she died in utero
Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes when a baby is stillborn their hospital records are included with yours. Even though my daughter was not stillborn, some of her records were still interspersed with mine. I know what you mean about finding it difficult to read your records.







I didn't try to read mine until about 4 months afterwards and it was still hard.


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## maxmama (May 5, 2006)

Rather than trying to figure it out from hospital records (which are incredibly hard to find anything in), I'd still go for the antibody screen. The results of that are what matter, regardless of whether you got RhoGAM or not.

Even if you birth within 12 weeks of the 28 week dose, you should still have gotten another dose post-delivery (if your baby was positive). Each dose of RhoGAM only protects against a certain volume of fetal blood transfer, and the 28 week dose may not have been enough, since transfer is most likely at birth.


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## momz3 (May 1, 2006)

Okey dokey guys I'm going for a screen tomorrow....wish me luck


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## queencarr (Nov 19, 2001)

First, I am so sorry for the loss of your daughter. I just now saw this post, so most of what I know has already been covered. As to your question do they type babies that are stillborn--in our case, at least, they did try to even with no autopsy, but were unable to do so. A a result, I got Rhogam. All of her records were contained in mine. You have to get Rhogam within 3 days after birth to be effective, I believe (t may be a few more days, but it is most effective in 3) If you are sensitized, the treatment protocol involves repeated rhogam shots and monitoring you levels during future pg, as well as ultrasounds and more frequent monitoring. Definately with a high risk ob/gyn. this is whey levles are checked in the routine bloodwork in all pg, because ther is treatment. Good luck on your results.

Oh, I did want to ask, based on your location/sig, was your baby born at a military hospital? If so, please copy your records now before the request for screening/results get entered. PM me if you want more info about why I suggest this.


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