Knowing if You Are Rh Negative and Why

When you go for your very first prenatal appointment, a rather long list of blood screenings will be ordered by your OB –one of which will help determine your blood type. You probably already know whether you are Type A, B or O, but during pregnancy, the important thing is to find out whether you are “positive” or “negative.” There are many screenings and tests that you need to go through when you are pregnant. To make sure our patients have an OB who provides the appropriate care during pregnancy, our women’s health clinic in Ukiah can recommend an OB.

Testing for Rh During Pregnancy

At your first prenatal appointment, one of the first things that your OB will do is get your blood tested for Rh, which is a protein that approximately 85% of the population has. The blood group of any person is either Rhpositive or Rhnegative. If you are Rhpositive, the red blood cells in your blood stream will have antigens present on its surface.

When you are an Rhnegative, it means that you don’t have these antigens. If the father of your child is Rhpositive and you are Rhnegative, your baby will be passed on the Rh factor from him, making him or her Rhpositive too. If you are Rhnegative and your baby is positive, problems can arise.

Once your doctor knows that you are Rhnegative, they will order what is known as an indirect Coombs test at around 28 weeks of your pregnancy. This test checks to see if your body is making antibodies, which is a sign that your baby will have Rhpositive blood group. Your body produces these antibodies because it thinks that it is allergic to your baby.

To prevent any complications for you and your baby, at 28 or 29 weeks of your pregnancy, you will need injections of a medication known as RhoGAM. It will also be necessary to get the injection within 72 hours after delivery to make sure that any problem is prevented.

Get Excellent Pregnancy and Sexual Health Services for Women at The Center for LifeChoices

When you need high-quality pregnancy services for women, research ‘women’s health clinic near me.’ ChooseMendo Lake Women’s Clinic for the best pregnancy and sexual health services for women from a team of qualified and experienced medical professionals in a warm, confidential setting. To find out more, visitor call us at 707-463-1436.