First-Time Mother: Blood Type Concerns & Baby Health - Expert Answer

Question
My question...

My daughter is going to have her frist child...would her doctor have taken her blood type by now?

If she was neg.and her husband neg. would this be a concern for the baby... or only if she was neg.and her husband pos?
What if she was pos. and her husband neg. would this be a concern for the baby?

Thank you for your time...
Janet.


Answer
Once we see a patient for her first obstetrical visit (around 8 weeks from her last period) we order blood tests, including blood type, Rh, Hemoglobin/Hematocrit, VDRL(test for syphilis, Hepatitis B surface antigen, HIV status, Rubella test). If her blood test shows that she is Rh negative, we order a blood test on her husband. If he is also Rh negative, there is no problem. If she is Rh negative and he is Rh positive, usually nothing occurs during the first pregnancy. HOwever, the mother will start to develop antibodies to Rh positive blood and these antibodies can cross the placenta and the baby can develop erythroblastosis fetalis (blue baby syndrome). For this reason, in a woman who is Rh negative and whose partner is Rh positive, we give an injection of Rh immune globulin (RhoGam) at 28 weeks gestation and again within 72 hours of the birth of he baby. This prevents her from forming antibodies.