Rh Negative Pregnancy: Risks & What Happens Without RhoGAM

Question
What exactly happens to you and the baby if you are RH Negative and don't recieve the rogam shot?

Answer
Dear Erin,

When a mother is Rh negative and she gives birth to a child who is Rh positive (as must be the case for you), she begins to build up antibodies against future Rh-positive babies. The first baby is not affected because the antibody formation occurs mostly in the first few days after birth, in a response to the mixing of fetal and maternal blood at the time of the birth.

Mismatched blood transfusions, previous miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, or trauma in the pregnancy are other risks for building up antibodies.

The main risk in allowing these antibodies to build up are to future babies. The fetal outcome is seriously compromised in pregnancies where the mother is sensitized to the Rh factor.

Since 1968, we have a medication called RhoGAM, which prevents this sensitization, or build-up of antibodies (isoimmunization). It is generally given at about seven months (28 weeks) during the pregnancy -- to prevent early isoimmunization -- and again after the birth when the baby is Rh positive. If the baby is Rh negative, no treatment is required.

If RhoGAM is given with each pregnancy and again within 72 hours after the birth of an Rh-positive baby, you should have no problems with Rh sensitization. You will have blood tests called "antibody titers" throughout each pregnancy to make sure that you are not developing antibodies. RhoGAM has truly made a huge difference in the care of women and babies with this incompatibility. It used to be that women who were Rh negative and had Rh positive partners were limited on their ability to have children OR they lost subsequent babies. That issue has been essentially eliminated with RhoGAM.

I hope this information has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda