MSE Pregnancy Club XV

kindofagilr

Awwwww baby Jack is soooooooo cute!!!

BeenieCat

Jack is making me broody, if that's possible at 6m preg? :rotfl:

JAM1376

Well I'm giving up for today. Am shattered so gonna have an early night and hope I wake up at some point having lots of contractions. If not, its the hospital for me at 10am tomorrow.

ML Good luck if you go in the mean time and hugs to all.

Will update you if I get chance, Night night xxx

fattybooboo

Think I am gonna go to bed already, I'm getting earlier and earlier!! Mind u I am gonna watch some Prison Break in bed, yum, hehe!!

Ordered my arnica tablets off ebay earlier so thats at least 1 constructive thing done today. Tomorrows aim is gonna be to find a lampshade and maybe mobile too Nite all xx

fattybooboo

Fingers crossed for you and good luck Jam You too ML!! xx

three2be

JAM1376 wrote: »

Well I'm giving up for today. Am shattered so gonna have an early night and hope I wake up at some point having lots of contractions. If not, its the hospital for me at 10am tomorrow.

ML Good luck if you go in the mean time and hugs to all.

Will update you if I get chance, Night night xxx

Ok gentle vibes are now force full:mad::mad: get out and let mummy have her HB. Will be thinking of you tonight and tomorrow. fingers crossed you don't need that appointment.

Night all, need to try for a sleep early morning tomorrow before the scan.......yippeee on the list tomorrow.

jha

Beanie and 32b - i pm'd it because it discusses HDN and miscarriage information that i thaught some might find upsetting. - maybe i am just oversensitive. I will post the rhnegative stuff as it is a nhs leaflet any other info is available to all on the nhs website.

My mums cat is a bit better thanks.

jha

RHESUS NEGATIVE LEAFLET - FEEL FREE TO SKIP
"Antenatal prophylaxis with Anti - D"
Published by CSL Behring for NHS Direct

"Just as every human being is unique, so are the characteristics of your blood. People can belong to one of four blood groups, A, B, AB and O which are carried on the red blood cells. There is another important difference in peoples blood called the Rhesus factor, which is also found in the red blood cells. People who are rhesus positive have a substance known as D antigen on the surface of the red blood cells - they are said to be Rh-positive. People who are rhesus negative do not have the D antigen on their blood cells - they are RhD negative.

Blood groups and rhesus factors are inherited from a parent. In Europe around 85% of people are RhD positive and 15% Rh-negative.

First pregnancy
During pregnancy and childbirth the rhesus factor D can have an important role to play when an Rh-negative mother is expecting an Rh-positive baby, This can only happen if the baby's father is Rh-positive - but not all children who have an Rh-positive father will be Rh-positive.

During pregnancy the placenta acts as a barrier between the red blood cells of the mother and baby. However, sometimes small amounts of the baby's blood can cross over into the mothers blood stream.

If any of the blood cells from an Rhd positive baby get into the blood of an Rh-negative woman, she will react to the D antigen in the baby's blood as though it is a foreign substance and will produce antibodies. this is called "rhesus sensitisation" This is not usually a problem during the first pregnancy, but can have serious consequences for subsequent pregnancies.

The most common time for a baby's blood cells to get into the mother's blood is at the time of birth. But it can happen at other times, for example during a miscarriage or abortion, or if something happens during the pregnancy such as an amniocenteses, chronic villous sampling, vaginal bleeding or after abdominal injury. An event that could cause the mother to produce antibodies against the D antigen is called a "potentially sensitising event"

Subsequent pregnancies
As a general rule the first child that triggers this sensitisation does not suffer any adverse consequences, as it will have already been born by the time the antibodies have developed. However if the woman goes on to become pregnant whit a second Rh-positive child, antibodies may cross into the baby's blood and attack the red blood cells this is called "haemolytic disease of the newborn" or HDN. HDN can be mild, but can also lead to jaundice, brain damage or death. (please don’t worry this is very rare) With further Rhd positive children the antibody reaction becomes faster and more serious.

There are about 62,000 births of rhd positive babies to rhdnegative women in England and Wales each year

Historically about 500 babies (out of 62,000) develop HDN and must be closely monitored. Each year about 25-30 (out of 62,000) babies die from HDN and a further 30 will have minor developmental problems.

Thanks to rhesus prophylaxis (treating before there is a problem) with anti-D immunoglobulin, rhesus sensitisation during pregnancy and after childbirth can now largely be prevented.

Prophylaxis is the word given to a medicine that is used to prevent something happening. Rhesus or anti-d prophylaxis means giving a medicine called anti-D immunoglobulin to prevent a woman producing antibodies against Rh-positive blood cells and so to prevent the development of HDN in an unborn baby. The protective effect of antiD lasts only a few months, so that the treatment must be repeated during and after each pregnancy. AntiD is given as an injection either into a muscle or into a blood vein.

During pregnancy
Generally all expectant mothers who are rhD negative and who have not already been sensitized are advised to undergo treatment with an antiD injection, either as a single injection between the 28th and 30th week of pregnancy or as two injections at 28 and 34 weeks.

After childbirth
the baby's blood will be tested. If the baby is found to be Rh-positive the mother will be given another injection of anti D, usually within 3 days of the birth.

BeenieCat

Thanks jha - i haven't seen any leaflets about it so it's interesting.

When i had DS 6 years ago i only had one Anti-D injection, soon after labour. I don't remember getting one 3 days later, so i wonder if they didn't do that then, or if they tested him and he was neg? I haven't been told his blood group so not sure! I know i didn't get the anti d when preg, but will be having it at 30wks this time.

jha

Yes beanie i think they mean 1 injection no longer than 3 days after birth if required. I dont know enough about it to be honest i get so confused which is why i just typed out the leaflet - lol:o