Administration of Anti D following bleeding in early pregnancy

Administration of Anti D following bleeding in early pregnancy

Why do we give an injection to all Rhesus Negative Women who have had bleeding in early pregnancy?

You are one of roughly 15% of the population, who have a blood group known as Rhesus negative. This means that your blood lacks a particular chemical called the Rhesus factor. If you receive Rhesus positive blood at any time your body will form anti-bodies against the Rhesus factor and will therefore reject the blood if exposed to it in the future.

If your partner has Rhesus positive blood you may have been/may be carrying a Rhesus positive baby. During some miscarriages or at any time when you have bleeding later in pregnancy, blood from the baby may cross into your blood stream, causing your body to produce anti-Rhesus antibodies.

These will not harm you but will remain in your blood. If you become pregnant again and if the baby is Rhesus positive, these antibodies circulating in your blood could act against the baby’s blood during pregnancy which could cause the baby to become anaemic or even seriously ill. This effect may increase with subsequent babies and could even cause fatal death in extreme cases.

Prevention

Although there is treatment available for a baby affected by Rhesus antibodies, it is much better to prevent the condition from occurring. This can be done by giving Rhesus negative women an injection (Anti-D immunoglobulin) soon after a miscarriage or after any bleeding later in pregnancy. This injection eliminates any Rhesus positive blood which may have leaked into the maternal blood and prevent any Rhesus antibodies being formed.

The risk of transfer of antibodies to the foetus blood cells is increased after surgical procedures for miscarriage and if the pregnancy is greater than 12 weeks.

You have been given an Anti-D immunoglobulin injection. In future, you will be advised to seek medical advice about the need for Anti-D immunoglobulin injection each time you are pregnant and experience any bleeding in pregnancy, whether this bleeding settles, progresses to a miscarriage or through pregnancy and following delivery.

Contact details

Worcestershire Royal Hospital

• Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (phone 01905 733060)
• Gynaecology Nursing Staff, Lavender Ward (phone 01905 760586)
• Hospital Switchboard (phone 01905 763333)

Alexandra Hospital

• Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (phone 01527 512100)
• Gynaecology Nursing Staff, Ward 14 (phone 01527 512100)
• Hospital Switchboard (phone 01527 503030)

Kidderminster Treatment Centre

• Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (01562 823424, Bleep 3461)
• Hospital Switchboard (phone 01562 823424)

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything,
please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and Friday: 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that a voicemail service is in use at busy times, but messages will be returned as quickly as possible.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

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