Down to Birth #188 | Rhogam for Rh Negative Mothers: How It Works and When It Doesn't
In today's episode we discuss the problem with Rh negative blood types and how it impacts future pregnancies. We've invited Courtney, mother of three, and her midwife, Jessica, to discuss her experience as an Rh negative mother who became isoimmunized against her baby, resulting in the need for multiple in-utero blood transfusions to save her baby's life.
Typically, women who carry the Rh negative blood type are given a blood product called Rhogam, which protects the mother from developing an auto-immune response against her future babies. In Courtney's case, Rhogam (also known as anti-D) did not work. As a result, her own body "attacked" her third baby, causing her baby to have life-threatening anemia in utero.
The purpose of this episode is to help mothers (a) learn about the issue behind Rh negative blood types; (b) understand how Rhogam works to prevent isoimmuization; (c) know the risks associated with receiving the Rhogam injection; and (d) feel empowered by discovering that even a high-risk pregnancy, such as Courtney's, can be co-managed under midwifery care to achieve the labor and birth goals associated with a low-intervention or natural birth.
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