Rh- mamas, are you getting the Rhogam?

[Mariposa]

With DD, I got the prenatal Rhogam at 28 weeks and then had one postpartum since she was +. I didn't even consider not getting it. Was part of my medical culture I guess. Just like vaccinating, which I stopped after her 2 months shots.

Anyway, time is nearing when I have to make a decision on the prenatal shot. I thought I had decided not to get it, but now worry about the what ifs. I will definitely get one if baby is +.

[mamatoady]

i am not getting it because dh is A-, so baby can't be a positive...no reason to get it for me.

[kristenburgess]

I literally agonized over this choice. I had a supportive midwife but my backup doc was not supportive of skipping the prenatal dose (what I did, btw). Rhogam has been the most troubling aspect of my pregnancies...I honestly wonder if the stories about women changing their Rh status are true because I sure wish I could.

Anyways, I just felt totally uncomfortable having a human blood product injected into my body while I was carrying my baby. Post-partum, however, I accepted the risk so that future babies will be safe. My births were all gentle homebirths, but knowing that more children were a possibility I felt the benefit of the postpartum shot to be worth the slight risk to postpartum me.

My backup doc even admitted that the 28 week dose was assigned arbitrarily, it will only work if the blood mix occurs in the few day period surrounding the shot.

I had the cord blood of all of my children tested for blood type and they were all + so I got a lovely shot after every birth.

In the end my backup doc did come through and get the Rhogam to my house for me, and his nurse had to jump through hoops to get it, so I can't complain about him in that respect, but it sure did stress me out to have him harping on me about skipping the prenatal dose...

I'll make the same choice in any future pregnancies.

[Viriditas]

I'm almost 37 weeks and still on the fence on this one, so I didn't vote. I see no reason whatsoever to get the prenatal shot (unless you are in an accident or have an invasive procedure or something), so I didn't get it. But I'm still not sure whether it's worth it to get the shot after birth. On every other issue regarding this pregnancy and birth I have put my trust 100% in my body and nature, but I can't seem to do that with this. I am having an unassisted birth and pregnancy and this is my only worry. Right now I'm thinking I will get some eldon cards and test the baby's cord blood after the birth. If s/he is + then I will either call a local midwife (who I haven't talked to, but my mom has and she's UC-friendly) or the local women and childrens' clinic to get the shot within a couple days. But then again this is not something I want to be wrestling with right after the birth of my baby, yk?

[BensMom]

I got the 28w shot (full of mercury) when I was pregnant with my son. He has autism and I highly suspect the Rhogam (and the flu shot I also got while pregnant). Too bad I was clueless at the time.

This pregnancy, while I know that Rhogam no longer has mercury, I have done my research and could not really find any benefits to the 28w shot. I will get the postpartum shot if the baby tests rh+.

[Artisan]

My DH is also Rh-, but if he wasn't, I would skip the prenatal shot unless there was a medical reason. And I would get the postpartum shot only if the baby was +.

[kathteach]

I will get the shot prenatally and after birth if the doctor advises it. I respect everyone's choices. This is my choice and I feel good about it.

[MelKnee]

I got it postpartum with all my previous pregnancies/miscarriages, but never prenatally. I won't be getting either for this baby because this will be my last baby. Might as well save myself all the nasty chemicals.

[Jes]

I got it prenatally at the advice of my DR. DS turned out to be A- so I didn't need it at birth.

My next pregnancy, I don't know if I will get it prenatally. I've researched and educated myself a lot more about vaccines since then. I really wish I would of done it sooner though instead of taking the Dr's word.

[AmieV]

I had one after my miscarriage in Jan 04, and got it prenatally with my DD at 28 weeks. She was - so I didn't have to worry about it postnatally. That was a godsend too because we would've had to track it down at a pharmacy w/in 48 hours and bring it to the birth center to be injected. I had my baby on a Saturday too which further complicated the matter.

I had no idea it wasn't just "required". I researched a lot about birth and stuff in general but somehow didn't come across the arguments against it until too late. Next pg I'm not sure that I will get it prenatally. I need to do some more homework but if statistically it really doesn't help anything, then I will not be getting it. And now that I have a - daughter, I feel like my blood's going to kick my DH's blood's booty when it comes to blood type!

[Mariposa]

thanks everyone for sharing your decisions. i wish i could feel really secure either way. i guess i will have to wait and just follow my gut. i am definitely getting one if baby is negative, but i am leaning toward not getting it while pregnant.

[Pariah]

I'm still really not sure...right now we're waiting for the results from my husband's blood test, just to make 100% sure that he's Rh+. He's pretty sure he is, but my midwife wanted to test anyway, to see if there was any way to possibly avoid all of this. My midwife is really pushing the Rhogam at 28 weeks, especially since I had spotting at 9 weeks. I got the Rhogam in the ER at 9 weeks, too. I'm just not sure. Hopefully my husband's blood will come back Rh- and we can stop stressing about this. This is the most agonizing thing in the world.

My backup doc even admitted that the 28 week dose was assigned arbitrarily, it will only work if the blood mix occurs in the few day period surrounding the shot.

How is that so, considering the effects of the shot last for 12 weeks?

[Momalea]

I had a test for rh sensitity early on and another at 28 weeks. Since both tests came out normal, I'm not doing the rhogam prenatally. I did agree (with my midwife) that if I'm in an accident, have bleeding, or some trauma to my abdomen that I'll come in within 72 hours for the shot. Seems reasonable. I will have it if this baby is rh+ because even though I'm not planning on another baby-you just never know.

[Artisan]

One more thing... if you decide to get the shot(s), triple check to make sure they are giving you the thimerosal-free version. Don't just take their word for it, ask them to open the box in front of you and hand you the package insert before it's administered.

[FreeSpiritMama]

I won't be having the shot prenatally but as yet I am undecided on whether to have a postnatal shot. With DS I did not have a prenatal shot ( in the UK at that time it was not standard prenatal care) but I did have one after his birth as he is RH+.

[maybebaby]

I don't get the prenatal ones except in the case of trauma or bleeding.

Am I wrong or does most of Europe still not recommend the prenatal shot? I was thinking in most of Europe it's still common practice to ONLY give the post natal shot if needed.

Also wanted to add, after our third I was sure we were done and didn't bother getting his cord blood checked or the shot. A few months later I did get tested for antibodies, just in case. I had none. We're pg again and I'm still showing no antibodies, but it's always good to go ahead and get that cord blood tested even if you think you're done. It's true that you never know!

[thepeach80]

I'm kind of a funny case b/c I really don't have rh- blood even though the test shows that at the lab my DR uses. I got the rhogam w/ my first ds b/c I didn't know any better. I didn't get after his birth b/c I tested rh+ at the hospital. He was rh+. I refused the shot this last time and then I tested rh+ again at the birth and he was rh-.

[Mariposa]

thanks for all the stories guys! interesting about europe, etc. i think i am sticking to my original decision, to only get it if baby is positive after birth.

[cee3]

When I was pregnant with my DS (2003 in the U.S.) I wasn't even offered a shot prenatally. They tested him when he was born (he's +) and gave me the shot then. Huh. With this pregnancy, they haven't mentioned it yet, but if they offer I'll decline the prenatal shot and just get the postnatal one. We don't plan to have any more kids, but like maybebaby said....you never know!

[AmieV]

how sad is it that at 28 weeks, I didn't even think about the thimerosal thing, even though I was in the process of researching vaccine stuff for the baby? Man, it ticks me off how little information I had. I don't know if I would have done anything differently (other than double checking the syringe itself for it to say thimerosal free), but I hate the idea that I was one of those uninformed mothers!