rhogam shot

[KelseyRain]

Does anyone know of the pros and cons of the rhogam vaccine?

[CountryMomToBe]

I appreciate the suggestion, but I am not having a hospital birth,  I'm having a home birth.  And i'm pretty steadfast in my decision to not receive any unnecessary medications.  As I said before, it is only effective within a certain time frame of trauma in which your blood & baby's blood mix.  After the baby is born my midwife will test baby's blood and if he or she is negative then there is no reason to receive the injection.   If he or she is positive then I will definitely get the injection within 72 hours of labor because we would eventually like to have more children and future pregnancies would be the ones affected.

[CountryMomToBe]

It's not a must.  It's only necessary if your blood mixes with the baby's blood and baby is positive.   For instance if you had an amniocentesis, or you have a major fall, or car accident,  etc... those are situations in which you would want to have it within 72 hours if you want to have more children in the future. I  did soooo much research on it... my best friend is a doctor and I read many articles on it.  I don't like doctors (for the most part) because they act as if everything is life threatening and must be treated with injections & medications.  I chose not to have it and my midwife was behind my decision 100%.

The 28 week injection is the most unnecessary injection. Unless you have immediate trauma or preterm labor at 28 weeks then it's not exactly effective.  The one during labor would be the most effective IF your baby is positive.  Like I said, for me, I will have my baby's blood tested before I get the injection after labor.

[loveNLondon]

I'm rh negative. Got rohgam at 28 week. Im pretty sure its a must. My doctor never asked me if I wanted it she told me I will NEED one at 28 weeks.

[A_Jo]

Then the next day I went back in for the shot that had created with my blood.

[A_Jo]

Yes @chelly agreef. That's what we're all saying is that it helps prevent those.  Not getting it could cause those.  :)

Country mom to be ... I have received out 3 Times and it was made with my own blood,  So check for sure with your hospital.  I went in and had blood drawn then the next day

[A_Jo]

Sterility m is the wrong term. Sorry I was taking about sensitization.  You CAN conceive again but if you're body is sensitized then it Can fight future positive blood pregnancies in the case that there is blood mixed.

Angels a apologize as I wasnt trying to attack you and tried to delete my comment where I tagged your name bc I realized it was a quick opinion I was starting but wasn't trying to call toy or as being uneducated. This forum is very flawed with notifications and such so I couldn't find this post again until it was bumped to the top and am not able to delete a comment.  I apologize for vs doing you or personal.  

I have never heard of any risk factor associated with receiving the rhoGAM shot and simply do not know why anyone would have reason to opt out.  

[Chelley5]

And I am pretty sure it doesn't cause sterilization or miscarriage... in fact it will help to prevent it.

[Chelley5]

I just found out that my body has antibodies built up due to not getting a shot after my last miscarriage.  The hospital didn't give me one because they no longer found any hcg in my system and basically made me feel like I was lying about being pregnant (I was only 5 weeks). anyways I go to the doctor again next week and he will tell me more dangers involved now that I have antibodies. I just hope it doesn't put this baby (or myself) at any risk.

[CountryMomToBe]

Basically if your blood mixes with a positive baby's blood you can produce antibodies that would not affect your first baby but subsequent pregnancies resulting in still births or misscarriages.

[CountryMomToBe]

I am rh negative and my midwife explained that the shot is only good for 72 hours after trauma or anything where your blood could mix with baby's like an amniocentesis.   I did not get the shot at 28 weeks and I will only get it after labor after she tests the baby's cord blood.  If my baby is negative I will not receive the shot, if baby is positive then I will.  

It's made from human plasma, and ive heard of an outbreak of hepatitis c in the90s from a bad batch of blood plasma donors.

[FireFighterMomma470]

I'm with you Angela.... never heard of it causing miss carriage or sterility. I know if you don't get it and something happens and your and babies blood mixes, your body will fight the baby like an infectionand cause you too lose the child if nothing is done.

[angelama14]

That's the last time I comment on a post. I have enough negativity and rudeness without getting crap from people on here because I was trying to comfort another person.

[MaeganYonce]

I've had to take it everyone of my pregnancies.   I think it has alot to do with your blood type.. and if you don't take it.. you or your baby could be in harms way

[angelama14]

......

[MamaRunt]

I've Had Rhogam Shots Everyone Of My Pregnancies. it's Meant To Keep Your Body From Building Antibodies To A Positive Bloodtype Baby In The Future.Without The Shot Your Body May Attack A Future + Blood Baby As If It Were An Infection/Disease And Kill it.

[esmeralda_panther]

Rhogam shots are a must. The pros, is keeping yourself n baby safe.

[A_Jo]

You will find information FOR and AGAINST the site and it is important to be educated in both sides,  however please be careful when researching online as everybody had an opinion (as is clear even in these forums.) Webpages and dot coms are funded so whomever they're funded by is whom they're speaking for.  It is also very important to check the date on the information,  just because it's at the top of Google does not mean it's the most current.

Your dr our midwife will have the most current,  you to date and properly educated information available for you.

True some drs are funded to hand out pamphlets for Tylenol or certain prenatal vitamins and even formula,  but I hope you trust your dr enough to ask for his or her true opinion.  

Said my peace.  

[A_Jo]

Angela.  I would talk to your dr if you sre currently pregnancy and rh negative do you can have a full understanding of It's reason.  

[angelama14]

I've never heard of the rhogam shot causing a miscarriage or causing sterility . I looked it up just now and still nothing. I wouldn't worry about it. It is a very common shot.

[angelama14]

You need it so that if your baby has a different blood type than yours ( if you are rh negative) it protects you . When the baby comes, your blood will mix with the baby's blood and if it's different then your body will feel like it needs to attack the foreign cells. I had to get a rhogam shot with both of my miscarriages because I am o-. As soon as they found out I had miscarried they gave it to me. I'm pregnant now and they say I will be getting it sometime around 20-30 weeks

[Snowdin28]

Typically, being Rh negative is not a health concern until pregnancy occurs or a blood transfusion is needed. Rh incompatibility is a mismatch between the blood of the mother and the blood of the fetus and occurs when the mother is Rh negative and the fetus is Rh positive. In most cases, complications are rare since this condition is usually diagnosed early on and treated with a blood product called RhoGAM. When Rh negative blood is exposed to Rh positive blood, the Rh negative blood responds by producing antibodies that attack and destroy the Rh positive blood cells. This can lead to problems such as anemia, kidney failure, or shock. Rh immunoglobulin prevents your immune system from attacking your baby’s blood. ***(I've had Rhogam shots with every pregnancy. There have never been any nagative side effects and all of my pregnancy have went to term.)***

[A_Jo]

So pros you are protected and so is your baby and cons you have to get a shot and could possibly lose your baby and become sterilized.  

Sorry I know that sounds harsh but that's just my understanding of our after two pregnancies.  Definitely ask you're dr for more information so you will feel better about your choice.  

[A_Jo]

I don't really know if I can write it in a pro / con list form but a little information on the shot...  you get the rhoGAM shot when you are rh negative which means you have negative blood. You need a rhogam shot at around 28w which will cover you to both and then a second within 72 his after.  You might need one before 28w if you've had a fall or ancient where you are basically bleeding.  

The reason for the shot is that your baby could potentially be positive blood and there is no way to know that without an invasive blood test later in pregnancy (not even sure that's an option actually) and if you're baby is positive and his or her blood mixes with yours at any point during birth or pregnancy your body will not recognize the positive blood and fight it like an infection,  building up antibodies against it. Which could lead to a miscarriage early on our pure term labor if you're later along. Because these antibodies have now been built up in your immune system and trained to fight your body may sterilize itself against any future pregnancies positive baby or not.