Okay, I have decided I should know what I'm talking about before I blog next time. My rant about the blood type was only about 25% correct. Okay, I obviously didn't know anything about blood types and what - or + meant, but now I feel a little more educated on the subject matter. Apparantely there are several blood types such as: A, B, ABO, and O (and probably some more in between). With every type you can either be + or -. It just so happens that O- is the very most rare blood type and only about 6% of people have this type. This type is also not compatible with other blood types...so if I ever need a blood transfusion, I can only receive O-. But I can donate to any type. Go figure.
So as far as the baby is concerned, it doesn't matter that I'm A, B, ABO, O; it matters that I'm Rh- or Rh+. Since I'm negative, this poses a threat to the baby, because if Brett is positive (most likely, but let's hope not) the Rh+ will automatically be dominate making the baby Rh+. The risk comes in if my blood and the baby's blood mixes (mostly likely at birth, but could happen if there is trauma to the baby or me during pregnancy). If the baby's blood gets into my blood stream, my blood with start creating anti-bodies and will fight the baby's blood or future babies that I have. Basically this would make for a very high risk future pregnancy if the blood was mixed at birth or a high risk pregnancy now if our blood mixed sometime during this pregnancy. Let's just say, it would be very hard for any future baby to survive in my womb if any anti-bodies formed in my blood.
Now, on the lighter side of things, they have a vaccine called Rho-GAM to prevent all this bad stuff from happening. There are risks involved with receiving it (especially since it is a human blood product), but the benefits far out way the risks. Or so they say. So if Brett's blood comes out + (and I'm praying for some freak chance it doesn't), I'll be receiving this shot at 28 weeks and then again 3 days after birth (I think). It's not the ideal situation and I wish it were different, but you gotta roll with the punches. I just hope I won't be needing a blood transfusion anytime soon (or ever for that matter), because I just might die. No, I'm just kidding....well maybe not. Anyway, that's all the scientific talk I've got for today. You can thank google and all the medical sites out there for my quick education. Later.
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I had the exact same thing. We're blood sisters. Anyhow, it's not big deal. You'll be fine. And no, the shot doesn't go in your stomach. I honestly don't even remember getting the shot and where they gave it to me but im possitive it didn't go in my belly. no worries there.
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