There are few things I've been meaning to write about recently, but I just haven't made the time. I will soon post about my birthday and my fun trip to the beach to see my college friend, Hannah, but first, I wanted to post about one thing we discovered at our last appoitment at the doctor.In a nutshell, my blood type is O-, meaning my Rh factor is negative. My blood does not contain a certain protein on my red blood cells indicated by the + or - behind the blood type. About 85% of people HAVE this protien. Justin is O+. When a woman who is Rh negative has a child with a blood type that is Rh positive (about 50% chance if the father is positive), then there is a chance that the mothers body could treat the baby as a poison, and produce toxins to fight it off.
Dr. Przybysz told me it usually doesn't have a negative impact on a first pregnancy because it's so rare that the baby's blood and the mother's blood will mix prior to delivery. However, the mother's body remembers and recognizes the protien in subsequent pregnancies and will make it's best effort to fight it off.
Fortunately, medical advances are such that this is no longer a big deal. There are two shots that I will have to get in order to prevent any potential negative reaction to a Rh+ baby. One will be at 28 weeks and one will be within 72 hours of delivery. I will have to have the shots with any other future pregnancies.
If you would like to read more info on this, click here.
So, that's what I've been wanting to talk about! Anyone else have experience with this?
9 comments:
Fascinating... and so wonderful that modern medicine has "fixed" the issue.
My good friend, Laura, is Rh-, too. Her son, Bryce, was born several weeks after Anna. He was her second child and she had the shot and everything was otherwise absolutely normal and no big deal. Isn't your blood the universal donor type? I think that's cool.
I'm O- also Whit. The shots just burn a little bit and you get them in your hip. You will hardly remember them in the future. I can't wait to hear if your having a boy or a girl. I have my guess. Let me know ASAP. Thinking about you. love ya.
My mom and dad are the exact same as you and Justin. She took the shots and had 3 healthy pregnancies and kiddos. I'm her second...it may sound scary, but it should be okay! Dr. P. is my OB/GYN and I LOVE her, she is wonderful!! Hope and pray things are going well for you!
Wow, had no idea that could even happen!
I have the RH- factor. I am A-, and have had to have the shot with all three pregnancies! Nothing to worry about. Glad you are starting to feel better! Your other friend is right, the shot does burn alittle.
I'm O- too, so does that automatically mean I'll have the Rh- factor, or is it dependent on your husband's blood type? Just trying to make sense of it all. Thanks for sharing! I voted "boy" on your poll, but I can't wait to find out what the gender really is!
My blood is O- also! I had the shots--just like you said. Somewhere in the middle, then I think I had one before delivery AND after delivery...don't really remember...anyways...I also had to have them with my second child. My shots were called Rhogam, I think. I hardly even remember it unless someone's talking about it! No big deal! :)
My mom and dad are just like you and Justin. My sister and I both wound up being O- as well, so it wouldn't have been a problem for her even if she hadn't gotten the shots (which she did). I guess you don't know that until after the baby is here though!
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