Pregnancy- A- Versus O+ Blood Type

I am A- and my hubby is O+. We have two healthy, wonderful children! I got my Rhogam shots around 28 weeks (I think) for both pregnancies, and then I had to get another shot after the birth of my second child because he has a positive blood type (my first child has negative, so I did not have to get another shot). Everything worked out perfectly!! Don't worry!

1 mom found this helpful

I am A- and my husband is O+. I have 6 children. Most usually, no blood is mixed between mother and child. In traumatic births, miscarriage, abortion, as well as an amniocentesis, it is possible for the blood to mix. *If* the child has a positive blood type (some of mine do, some don't), then the mother's blood will build up antibodies against the positive blood type. On any subsequent pregnancies, the mother's blood might fight the baby if it has a positive blood type, causing a miscarriage. I wait until birth, when they type the baby's blood right away to decide if I am going to get the rhogam shot or not. I MUCH prefer not having it as I don't think it is a good thing to inject it into my body unneccesarily. I would go with the midwives' advice. They tend to be more conservative, thinking of the mother's and baby's best, rather than what hospital procedure (as well as $$, insurance requirements,etc.) dictates.

If she plans on having any more babies, then she definitely should have the shot. I've had 4 of them (2 with each of my children). I am O- and my husband is B+. I lucked out and both of my children are +, so I needed that second shot. It's a simple little shot they give in your rearend, but it's much easier to just get the shot and then not have to worry about anything going wrong.

I have had 3 kids all having the Rhogam shot each time. It's the safety of the baby and future pregnancies! No side effects or anything!

I am O- my husband is A+ so I went through this with my 3 pregnancies. I had both OBs and midwives at different pregnancies. My last birth was a planned homebirth with midwives.
I got the first RhoGam shot after my first baby was born since my body had not built up any antibodies yet towards the A+ blood and the baby's blood type was A+. For the second and third pregnancies I got the shot during the pregnancies. Don't remember what week it was.

Ask ahead of time for the Thimerisol free shot.

The babies didn't get the shot. Because of their immune systems they don't need any shots for anything until they are much older especially if you breastfeed.

If this is indeed her first pregnancy - no miscarriage etc. - she should be fine to wait until after delivery - and then she will only need the shot IF the baby has Rh+ blood type.

In future pregnancies she will get the shot around 28 weeks and if she has a baby who is Rh+ - again after delivery. The rhogam prevents the mother's body from forming antibodies to the Rh protein. It does not affect the baby. Rh factor is a protein on red blood cells - you either have it (+ blood type) or you don't (- blood type) - the problem comes when you give birth to a baby who carries the protein when the mother does not - it will cause the mom to form antibodies against the foreign protein - so that in future pregnancies - IF the fetus she is carrying has the protein (Rh+ blood) then her own body will attack those proteins causing problems including possible fetal death.

In first pregnancies the thought is that there has been no mixing of the maternal and fetal blood - but it is possible, and if it were me - I would have the shot - it is safe and it can prevent future problems - why risk it??

Also - just to note babies do NOT get rhogam at birth!! You were either born with Rh+ blood or you were not - rhogam does NOT change your blood type! This is something ONLY given to the mom!!

if your meaning RH- like said below she needs to get the show.my mom has RH- blood and they made her get the shot with all 3 of her kids and then we all had to have one as soon as we were born and it is said the child will then be a + instead of a -.im sure it works that way because i am a + and not a negative and so are my other siblings.but i would dicuss this with them.but it is best if she gets because if not there could be problems with the babys.but again i would discuss this with them.best of luck

My information isn't new but Rh- is what I believe you are talking about. In my understanding if the Mom has a negative blood type she must get this shot to be sure no problems with future pregnancies. It's not a big deal and has been around for a long time, but the shot in my knowledge has always been given immediately after birth of the child.

This shot before birth may be a new thing. I'd let your son and daughter-in-law do the research, and/or get a second opinion. Unfortunately, Mom, you will probably have to stand on the side lines, but I hope it gives you comfort to know this is not a new thing and this baby will be fine. As long as your daughter in law gets the shot future babies should be fine too.........at least that is what I know from my limited knowledge. I have an Aunt that would be in her 80's now that had this, got the shot, and had 3 healthy kids!

I am O- and my husband is A+. We have four beautiful children, three of which have + blood types. I got the shot (called Rhogam) for each one including immediately following the miscarriage I had (at 11 weeks) prior to my first child being born. The way I understood the problem was not that the situation was fatal for myself or not necessarily for the first child, but would be problematic for carrying subsequent children. Without it, it would have been likely I may have never had my other children - even possibly my first one since I was pregnant once before her. Since my blood did not have the "RH factor", the shot prevented my body from building up antibodies against the baby who had the "RH factor" (positive blood). If I had antibodies against the "RH factor" my body would have attacked and rejected the subsequent children with + blood type (I think a 75% chance with one + and one - parent). I received the shot twice each pregnancy, once at 26 weeks and once immediately after it was confirmed the baby had a + blood type. I was happy to learn that my daughters all had positive blood types, because this will never happen to them), and that my son has a negative blood type, because he will never do this to his wife! Imagine all the women before this shot was introduced and how many pregnancies ended in miscarriage due to this problem that could be fixed with modern day medicine. I hope she decides to get the shot. It's painless (in the rear, if I remember correctly) and I do not know of any serious side effects. Good luck & congratulations!

Get the shot! Especiailly if she has had a previous miscarriage or terminated pregnancy. It is vital to the health of the baby should there be any complications as well as the health of later babies. Go to Webmd to learn more about the shot - it is really no big deal. I am surprised that the doctor would ask her to go with the midwives recommendation and at the same time tell her that the mix could be fatal. I have negative RH factor and have taken the shot and delivered 2 healthy children.......my grandmother, who I suspect had a negative rh factor miscarried many times after the birth of the first baby.

I am O- and my husband is A+, we have two beautiful boys and I am 38 weeks with my third! I had to get Rhogam at 28 weeks with all of them. I have also had three miscarriages and had to get the shot with each. It is no big deal! Good luck!

I have not faced this dilema so cannot offer any advice , maybe try looking up some research on the internet and see what you can find? I am a little surprised by the attitude of the medical professionals here though , seems like they are passing the buck as they are not sure either and don't want to risk being sued.

I took the shot in her circumstance. I am A neg as well. The shot can't hurt and can only help. So there is no down side to getting the shot.

I am a clinical lab scientist and deal with this often. The problems occur with the second and subsequent pregnancies.

The usual recommendation is for RH neg mothers to get the shot after their first pregnancy. They will also check the mother and baby's blood after birth for any reactions.

If she if concerned she should discuss it further with the doctor or get a second opinion if she's still not comfortable.

This is a no-brainer! Get the shot!! It is very important.

If she for sure has had no miscarriages then unless she has any bleeding she shouldn't really need the shot until after birth and that is if she has a + blood child. Most women get the RhoGam shot at 28 weeks ish and then after delivery is the baby has a + blood type. I have had to get the shot early pregnancy and 28 weeks and end of pregnancy because of bleeding. The shot is safe. In my opinion the shot is a much better way to go then living with the fear that my body might start attacking my baby if the blood were to mix, but I tend to bleed a lot in pregnancies. In the end it is her decision and would advice her to research into the issue to see what she feels the most comfortable with. And make sure she is looking at CURRENT research not stuff that is years old there is a difference.

Yes I had the shot, twice. First child was fine, second child I had the shot before birth, then after. My babies are fine and they are grown men. This sounds like the condition that used to be known as 'blue baby' that doctor is making you aware of. He is smart to warn you and you are lucky they live in a day and age where you are going to have absolutely wonderful grandchildren.

She should absolutely get the Rhogam now, it could protect this current pregnancy assuming the baby is RH positive. If that is the case then she will also need the injection after delivery. I am very surprised that this was even an option!

I would get the shot without hesitation. From what I understand it's serious if it is a mix and not something I would want to play a game of maybes with. The risks of the shot are slim to none, the risks of wrong blood type are major.

I don't there there is much of a dilema here. No matter what the babies blood type is, both she and the baby will be fine. If the baby is RH positive and she does not get the shot at least when the baby is born then all future pregnancies may be jeapardized. I am B neg and my husband is B pos. I got the shot at about 6 months (Its called Rhogam and is safe) and then they checked the baby when he was born. If he had been neg, then I wouldn not have gotten the shot. He was positive so I had to get another one.

Why would the midwives suggest not getting the shot? I had 3 children, received the shot during pregnancy and again after delivery with each one. I never had any complications and I've never heard of any complications from the shot, although I have to say I haven't exactly researched it either. It just seems that the risk to the baby and future pregnancies is so great that one wouldn't want to risk it.

Good luck,
K.

We have the same blood types (I'm A-, hubby is 0+), but I had a miscarriage before my first, so I got my first shot then. I believe I may have gotten it during, or at least after, each subsequent pregnancy. (I have 2 beautiful children). The shot is called Rhogam, and I believe this is the reason they required blood tests before marriage in the old days. It is scary to take any blood-based product these days, so I would ask any questions you may have, but you don't want your body to start creating antibodies to attack the baby, either.

I am 0- my daughters father was 0+ I had the shot the first time after the baby was born. the next time it was during. I would contact an actual obstetrician not a regular gp or the midwives. good luck

this is a first pregnancy? this is a concern for the SECOND pregnancy not the first? has she researched the reasons to this? the danger lies is the following pregnancies NOT the first one. SHe need to look up why that is so she will feel more comfortable with her decision

It is not the blood type that is the problem, it's the RH factor. I am neg and my husband is pos. I had 2 shots with each pregnancy. One was during the pregnancy and one was after I gave birth. The harm of the RH factors mixing is more so to the mother and subsequent pregnancies and not to the baby. There were no side effects to me or my children. My mother said that she had the shot with her three pregnancies as well. It has been around a long time. You can ask an OB/GYN in your area to put your mind at ease but I would have her get it. Just check to she if she should get 2, one during pregnancy and one after birth.

I had the exact same situation. The way it was explained to me is if the first baby is positive and the second was negative, that it could be harmful during your second pregnancy. So I was given a shot during my pregnancy and if my child was born positive, which they both were, then I was to be given a shot after giving birth. I believed it was to protect any future pregnancies in case those babies would have been negative.

The A and O blood mixing is not dangerous, it's the (-) and (+) that is dangerous...yes she should get the shot.

I am O- and my husband is O+ I got the shot twice they give it to you at 18 or 28 weeks I cannot remember which one and then they give it to you after 24 hours of giving birth it is to protect you and your baby. If you do not recieve the shot after your baby is born then you might have complications with your next child. It doesn't affect the first child. What they are worried about is your next children. From my understanding, your body can attack the "foreign object". The problem occurs if your baby is RH pos if your blood and the babies blood mixes during pregnancy or delivery it can cause complications. If the baby is RH neg like your own blood then you have nothing to worry about. The shot cannot hurt you it was made to help you have more children.

If she is RH negative, then she should definitely get the shot. You get one a few weeks before giving birth and one the day you deliver. Back in the day, there were so many stillbirths because of this so definitely err on the side of caution and get the shots. It won't disrupt having a natural childbirth - it will save her baby's life.

Hi,
I experienced that with both my daughters. I got the shot a few months before the babies arrived.Why wait and take the chance of the blood types mixing? I had no complications. I recommend your daughter- in-law getting it before she has her baby.

L. L

I really do not understand what the doctor is saying, where will the blood mix from? To form this baby the blood groups have already been mixed, how will the shot stop this from happening? The biology i learned never mentioned the kind of reasoning this doctor is telling you. I would advise her not to get this shot. I think he or she is experimenting something which might be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. She should trust her insticts.

I remember when I was pregnant, I found out I was O- and had to be given a shot after my son was born, for any additional pregnancies. I am not aware of the shot during...let's pray about it.

I would recommend the Rhogam shot. I am O- and my husband is O+ so I had the shot during the pregnancy and a second shot immediately after my son was born since he is O+. I would not have needed the second shot if my son was O- like me. I am surprised your daughter-in-law has a choice to wait.

Get the shot. It is my understanding that it will not affect this pregnancy, but rather subsequent ones. Her body will reject future pregnancies and miscarry. I wouldn't take the chance.

D.

I'm A- and my son is A+. I had the shot about a week before I gave birth. The problem, I believe is in the difference between the - and the +. It can lead to something called, I believe, blue baby. I never heard anything negative about the shot, but my doctor said there could be some serious repercussions if I didn't and the blood mixed. I didn't see much reason not to get it, so decided it made more sense to go ahead and have it. And, if your daughter isn't having the baby in a hospital, she might want to err on the side of caution.

I have 2 kids and I got the shot both times and nothing happened to me and my kids....Some stuff you just have to use your gut instinct on...I was more concerned for me and my babies life that is more important...I asked what were the side effects of the shot and there was none literally...so I would get the shot to be safe than sorry...

The risk is actually for any future pregnancies as they could end up miscarrying or abnormal if this baby happens to be + rhesus as it would leave + antibodies in your daughters blood that could react or reject future pregnancies.
The solution is very simple. They inject you with Anti D at the time of birth as it is during the delivery that bloods can mix. The Anti D 'mops up' any antibodies that may be left in the mothers bloodstream if the baby is +.
I too am A- and my husband is O+ so I would potentially have had to have the Anti D injection at the birth of my first child but I didn't have to as his blood type turned out to be O- so wasn't necessary but I did have to have the injection when I had a miscarriage last year in case that baby was + rhesus. I am now almost due with our second child who is healthy!

Tell her to get the shot. My mom miscarried twins because of different blood types.

My husband and I are both negative Rh factors, so I refused Rhogam. You can refuse it. I refused it and my doctor just ordered a blood draw instead to make sure there were no antibodies present in my blood. Mixing of blood can come from other things besides miscarriage or pregnancy, so it's a good idea to check. Likely, you will need blood drawn for other things, so I would just tack it on to whatever they are doing.

I understand why they make a big deal out of it because my grandparents had this situation (different Rh factors), which they did not know about back in the 1940's. My dad was fine, his younger brother is fine, but their third child was born with cerebral palsy and was a vegetable her whole life until she died in her teens. She would have been fine if they had Rhogam.

This is just my opinion but I would get the shot! Protect yourself and your baby! Mixing of the blood is not good for you nor the baby at birth! And why not protect both of you, why would they want to hurt either of them! Just my thought!!

Our Doc suggests the shot.

Just get the shots! My sil had the shot during her first pregnancy, but they made a mistake when they typed the baby's blood after he was born and did not give her the second shot. She became sensitized, and her second baby had to be delivered at 36 weeks, receive 2.5 volumes of blood transfusions, and spend a week in the NICU. She had to have weekly amnios at the end to monitor the baby so they could deliver and transfuse her, but wait as long as possible to do so. Her next pregnancy was a miscarriage and the subsequent 2 pregnancies they had DNA testing of the baby to see if she would need the weekly amnios again. She got lucky and her last 2 babies were also Rh- so they were not at risk. It's just not worth the possibility of having miscarriages and weekly amnios, a preemie, or sick baby just to avoid a shot now.

I agree with the other posters-- she should get the shot. I am AB- and needed the shot as well. I got it about a month before my son was born. I felt that having the shot was far more important than risking my son's health and it offered me one less thing to worry about.

Good luck!

Hi, my husband and I actually have exactly the same blood type combination as your daughter in law and your son.
The risk is if the baby’s blood type is “positive” then there is a possibility that during birth baby’s blood might get into mother’s blood stream. My doctor’s recommendation was to do the shot around 28 weeks of pregnancy & right after giving birth. Each shot lasts around 3 months. If not immunized and the mixing occurs, then mother might develop antibodies. What it would mean that if it happens during birth or right before, there is no risk to the baby or the mother. However, if not immunized in time and the antibodies are already developed and during the consequent pregnancies the baby’s blood type is positive, then the mother’s body (having antibodies in her blood stream) might be trying to reject the fetus. My conclusion was that it’s better to do the shot (even thought there is no guarantee that the baby has positive blood type (if negative, then there is no risk of mother’s antibodies)). The shot has been offered since the 1970’s.
I did both shots as recommended and now am pregnant for the 2nd time (my daughter who is almost 2.5 now has positive blood type) and have no antibodies. I will do the shots at the same time during this pregnancy again.

The doctor claimed that there is no risk neither to the mother nor the baby because of these shots. The important part it to definitely get the shot within 3 days of giving birth. But to me it sounded that it’s better to do it twice as the risk of having some minor bleeding before giving birth is higher than at the beginning of pregnancy. By the way, even having antibodies in the blood stream does not automatically mean that the mother with positive blood type will not be able to carry other children, but it might now cause complications to both, the mother and the child.

The positive/negative difference is the issue, not the A/O difference. My mom had the shot and I had the shot, as my father and my husband were both positive. It was considered a must to protect future pregnancies, as the negative blood type mother could create antibodies to a positive blood type child if the blood mixes. This is for the health of the child. I am really surprised the medical professionals were willing to wait and see on this one. Get the shot.