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Pregnancy

Anti C and Anti D antibodies

3 replies

HeathersMummy · 03/07/2008 14:20

Hi, I just need some reassurance please. I'm home alone with DD and DH is flying home from a business trip so I've nobody to talk to. I'm 14 weeks pregnant tomorrow and the midwife has just phoned me. I'm Rhesus Neg and my blood tests have shown that I have both Anti C and Anti D antibodies {very worried emoticon]. DD was Rh positive the same as her Dad when she was born, and midwife says there is nothing to worry about, but she wants me and DH to go for further blood tests asap. I've then to get my bloods done every 4 weeks til 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks! When I was booked in with the midwife I asked about Anti D injections, but she said that they're not available yet in my Region! I'm in tears just thinking about it all.

OP posts:

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Carnival · 03/07/2008 15:16

Hi,

I'm not sure that I'll be much help to you as I don't know much about this, except that I too am rh neg, my dd is pos and I have had to have anti D in the past. You could consider calling nhs24 or your GP and asking about it, to see if there was anything further they could add to put your mind at rest.

Fingers crossed that everything is fine and that your other half arrives home soon for a cup of tea & cuddles.

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jennylindinha · 03/07/2008 16:55

Hi HeathersM - I too am Rh Neg and have antibodies: anti-C and anti-E. It was a bit of a shock to me because I've always known that I needed to be careful of anti-D if I had a child with a Rh Pos partner (as DP is) and I've had a previous mc and asked for the injection. However, I'd never heard of anti-E and anti-C until this pregnancy!

The main thing is to think that at least you know now and they can monitor the situation and take steps to deal with any problems that may arise. They will check the levels of antibodies in your blood every 4 weeks (then every two) and there is only a problem if the levels start rising. Even then, it might not mean that anything needs to be done. They need to check that the baby is ok and is not showing signs of anaemia. I think the worst case scenario would be a blood transfusion for the baby straight after birth, or occasionally they do one in-utero. It's quite possible that your baby is Rh Neg in which case the antibodies won't affect it anyway.

I think that if you already have anti-D antibodies then there is no point having the anti-D injections as you have already developed the antibodies. Did you not have the injections with DD1?

Some links: here and here

Anyway, try not to worry too much about it and as Carnival suggests, have a nice cuppa whilst you wait for your DH to come home and talk about it. I read somewhere that even if you have anti-D antibodies, it's only around 10% of women in this situation who have any problems and it's quite rare for it to cause major complications.

The most annoying thing for me at the moment is the constant blood testing - I feel like a pincushion! And as I am nearly 28 weeks, I have to go for my first anti-D jab tomorrow

Congratulations on the pregnancy and best of luck - I'm sure that everything will go fine!

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HeathersMummy · 04/07/2008 10:09

Thanks jenny and linda for your reassurance and information. I didn't get any anti-D for DD1, so this is all new to me. Had a cuppa and a cuddle with hubby yesterday tea-time and feel a lot better about things now.
Roll-on the human pin-cushion!