Tests before pregnancy - Blood-Type-and-Antibody-Screen- Trying-to-conceive forum

Tests before pregnancy:Blood Type and Antibody Screen

What kinds of blood types are there?

There are several different types of blood. Blood types are either A, B, AB, or O, and Rh positive or negative. If the mother and baby's blood types are different, they both may experience problems. This could also happen if the mother has antibodies (antiglobulins) that will react with antigens (proteins or factors) on the baby`s red blood cells.

The best example is when an Rh-negative woman is pregnant with an Rh-positive baby. The woman`s immune system can develop an antibody that attaches to the Rh-positive antigens on her baby`s red blood cells and target them for destruction. Although it is unusual for her first Rh-positive baby to become ill, the antibodies produced during that first pregnancy will affect any future Rh-positive babies. To greatly reduce the likelihood that an Rh-negative mother will develop this antibody, she may be given a routine injection of Rh immune globulin (RhoGam) at approximately 28 weeks gestation. Additional injections may be necessary during the pregnancy if she has an amniocentesis, chorionic villi sampling, or an abdominal injury, and after delivery if the baby is Rh-positive. Before each injection is given, an antibody screen is performed to make sure that the woman has not already created Rh antibodies.

In addition to Rh-negative women who have had an Rh-positive baby, any woman who has had a blood transfusion or had prior pregnancies may produce an antibody to blood factors other than Rh that can potentially harm an unborn baby. An antibody screen during the first trimester is ordered to determine if potentially harmful antibodies are already present in the mother`s blood. If a harmful antibody is detected, the baby`s father should be tested, if possible, to see if his blood has antigens that react with the mother`s antibody. If it does react, then the baby`s may also. If there is a possibility that the antibody could react with the baby`s, then it is advisable for the health care provider to monitor the mother`s antibody level and the progress of the baby for the duration of the pregnancy. Signs that the fetus is becoming ill may necessitate that it receive treatment before birth (such as an intrauterine transfusion) or require an early delivery.

Comments: Tests before pregnancy - Blood-Type-and-Antibody-Screen

Comments 1 to 3 of about 3.

Brittney - 482 days ago.
If your both negative then yes your baby would be a positive which is really why you need the Rhogam. You body would start producing antibodies that would attack the baby because its blood type would definatly be diffrent. good luck! Better safe than sorry anyway, huh?

Almom - 488 days ago.
I am Rh negative, and my hubby is too. So this week at the dr's office, she wants to give me the 'shot'. I was like, 'Why? We are both O-? She really wanted me to have it anyway. I didn't. I mean, why? I didn't have it with my first. I thought two negatives could only produce a negative. Am I wrong?

NikkiBeauty - 521 days ago.
My blood type is rh-negative. It waas unknown to me and my previous doctors. I miscarried my first child not knowing it was the rh. They gave me a shot in the buttocks 72 hours after my miscarriage to prevent the next miscarriage when i conceived again. Now i am 6months and my baby is so far healthy and looking great! At 28 weeks i will take my shot for the rare blood type.