Negative blood-type moms?

EllenHope · September 2010

Anyone else getting the shot because of their negative blood type? I am 0 negative, so my doctor said unless I bring in something verifying that DH is also a negative blood type, I will get a shot at 28 weeks and one within 72 hours of delivery to keep my body from rejecting the fetus.

Has anyone else had this? Is it worth the extra work trying to find a document of your DH's blood type, or should I just suck it up and get the shots? DH is in the army and I know they have records of it- but he is gone for training and I am having an awful time getting a hold of something proving his blood type.

DaniGirl0517 · September 2010

Hey I'm just curious about this one, I don't have experience with it I'm just trying to learn. So it matters if you are O+ or O- or whatever? Is this the same or separate from the RH + or - thing? Sorry to be so ignorant...googling now because I though they were different. I haven't heard the results from my prenatal tests so I assume I'm fine but I do know I'm O+ I just didn't know that made a difference one way or another...like I said, googling now.

Tracy6450 · September 2010

I had the shot when I miscarried and it's not that bad. It's just a shot in the arm. But I would double check with your doctor because I was told I'll only need the shot after delivery if LO's blood type is positive. If it's negative then I won't need the shot.

pawcall · September 2010

DaniGirl0517:
Hey I'm just curious about this one, I don't have experience with it I'm just trying to learn. So it matters if you are O+ or O- or whatever? Is this the same or separate from the RH + or - thing? Sorry to be so ignorant...googling now because I though they were different. I haven't heard the results from my prenatal tests so I assume I'm fine but I do know I'm O+ I just didn't know that made a difference one way or another...like I said, googling now.

This is the same as the RH+/RH- thing. If you have a positive blood type, you have nothing to worry about.

lauriebyronm · September 2010

i am getting the shot as well, my ob didnt give me the option, he just said i need to have it. i am not worried about it cuz my sister had to do the same thing with both of her pregnancys as well. for me its easier to just get the shot and avoid all of the trouble.

kpv · September 2010

Yes, I've already had one shot because I had spotting - if you are RH-, you need to have the shot with any bleeding. I will probably need one more during the pregnancy and one at delivery. I know that DH is RH+, so I have to have the shots. Not too big of a deal, I can just do it at my dr's office. But it was a big shot and it hurt! (much more than a flu shot IMO).

pawcall · September 2010

Tracy6450:
I had the shot when I miscarried and it's not that bad. It's just a shot in the arm. But I would double check with your doctor because I was told I'll only need the shot after delivery if LO's blood type is positive. If it's negative then I won't need the shot.

This is what my doctor told me as well. I have B- blood and DH is O+. So I will get the shot while pregnant, and they'll give me another after delivery IF Aidan has a positive blood type. If he's negative, I won't need another shot.

tulips12_30 · September 2010

I have my first Rhogam shot at 28 weeks as I am also O-. We're not sure what DH is so I will be getting the shot. And depending what the baby's blood type is I may need another after. This is normal protocol with all negative blood types. There are also other reasons for this shot such as previous miscarriages...

pawcall · September 2010

EllenHope:
Anyone else getting the shot because of their negative blood type? I am 0 negative, so my doctor said unless I bring in something verifying that DH is also a negative blood type, I will get a shot at 28 weeks and one within 72 hours of delivery to keep my body from rejecting the fetus.

Has anyone else had this? Is it worth the extra work trying to find a document of your DH's blood type, or should I just suck it up and get the shots? DH is in the army and I know they have records of it- but he is gone for training and I am having an awful time getting a hold of something proving his blood type.

Is the problem that you know he's + but can't find any documentation? It should be as easy as calling his doctor and asking for a letter to that effect - no?

If the issue is that you aren't sure what your husband's bloodtype is, you should absolutely just get the shot. It may hurt, sure, but it's just one shot.

EllenHope · September 2010

See it was my MIL who made a big stink during the appt (because it was the 20 week big show with both grandma's when we talked about it), and she kept saying I don't need it because she's sure that DH is negative.

If it's no biggie, then I am going to give up the headache of trying to get paperwork. She had me worried that it was going to be a needle the size of Texas or something.

My 24 week appt is this week, so I will get to discuss stuff with my OB without the monster-in-law's opinions. I hope. I noticed her writing down my next appt in her calandar as I was scheduling it. Ugh...I might lose it if she shows up.

DaniGirl0517 · September 2010

Sorry to butt in again: Thank you for the explanation on the + or - thing, Dr Google said the same thing. I don't know why I never bothered to look it up before.

As to the OP, I hope you are able to find your DH's records so you don't get an unnecessary shot but I'm glad to hear from others that if you do have to get it, it isn't that big of a deal or too painful. Good luck!

broccolitree · September 2010

They usually just give all - moms at the HMO I go to the shot, regardless of the father's blood type, which makes sense... if I'm cheating on my H I'm hardly going to fess up because of blood typing, heh.

Regardless, I'd just get it anyway. afaik the risks are extremely minimal, so why not.

honey740 · September 2010

EllenHope:
See it was my MIL who made a big stink during the appt (because it was the 20 week big show with both grandma's when we talked about it), and she kept saying I don't need it because she's sure that DH is negative.
If it's no biggie, then I am going to give up the headache of trying to get paperwork. She had me worried that it was going to be a needle the size of Texas or something.
My 24 week appt is this week, so I will get to discuss stuff with my OB without the monster-in-law's opinions. I hope. I noticed her writing down my next appt in her calandar as I was scheduling it. Ugh...I might lose it if she shows up.

IF MIL thinks he's negative, I would definitely try to get documentation. I am all about not doing extra things I don't need to. DH should be able to put a release in writing to his Dr.'s to fax over to your provider.

atalanta04 · September 2010

broccolitree:
They usually just give all - moms at the HMO I go to the shot, regardless of the father's blood type, which makes sense... if I'm cheating on my H I'm hardly going to fess up because of blood typing, heh.
Regardless, I'd just get it anyway. afaik the risks are extremely minimal, so why not.

My doc also said they give them to all moms with - type because many times the testing is wrong. So even if your DH thinks he is O- from giving blood two years ago, it could be wrong. (That actually happened to me, I was told I was B+ and I am actually B-). So, just in case, my doc gives them to everyone.

becoming.a.mrs · September 2010

do you have one of his dog tags? that would prove it.

CAB'smommy · September 2010

Let me help since I've done this with 3 pregnancies now. You get 1 shot around 28 weeks to protect you during labor. The shot afterwards actually is supposed to protect you for your next pregnancy or something like that. Then you get it again before delivery and after delivery and so on. It is very painless, I get lots of shots, so I know. And also, just so you know, they will actually draw your blood and double check your RH type, and then give you the shot once the results are in. They do this each time. They also will test you again during labor in case you need blood, I think. So the Rhogam process took me about an hour last time. It's totally worth it. I don't know if I would bother hunting down DH's blood type.

UrbanHippieMama · September 2010

I got the shot last time at 28 weeks, but didn't need it after delivery because Neriah is Rh- too.

This time we had DH tested. He's Rh-, so no shot for me! I personally think it's worth it to find out his blood type, because I'm a 'less is more' type of person, but honestly, the shot is NBD!!

nohalo21 · September 2010

Everyone said everything that I was going to say. My DH was in the service and he thought he was negative but turns out he is positive (he confirmed with his dog tag). If your MIL is almost certain that he is negative then I would see if you can get any documentation. I agree that if you can avoid any unneccessary shots than do so. My doc will be giving me a shot at 28 weeks and then again after delivery if the child is positive.

PrincessSarah1979 · September 2010

You have to have proof? That is interesting, I thought they tested your blood for the Rh factor? In my OB notes it says at 28 wks if the mother's blood is Rh- you are tested for the antibodies automatically and then receive the shot depending on the results.

hmm....not sure...DH and I are both A+ so we don't have to worry about it....

had720 · September 2010

tulips12_30:
I have my first Rhogam shot at 28 weeks as I am also O-. We're not sure what DH is so I will be getting the shot. And depending what the baby's blood type is I may need another after. This is normal protocol with all negative blood types. There are also other reasons for this shot such as previous miscarriages...

My doctor just told me the same thing, at 28 weeks I am going to have the Rhogam shot. I am Rh-, so I have to get it done too.

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