RH Negative and Miscarriage
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and my first doctors appointment is February 12th.
A few years back I had a miscarriage about 4 weeks into my pregnancy. I didn't know that I was pregnant until the miscarriage. I had not had any blood test done. I miscarried in the morning but didn't go to the doctor until later that evening when my mother had suggested that I was having an unusual period and that I appeared to have had a miscarriage due to the amount of pain I was in and bleeding.
My question comes in that I had received a Rh positive shot while I was there, is this because I am Rh negative, or would they give this shot as a precaution?
ANSWER
The RhoGam shot is given to women who are Rh negative, which it sounds like you know you are, so you received appropriate care. The shot is not always necessary with early miscarriages, but many give them anyway, just to be sure. You have 72 hours after the miscarriage to get the shot and your future babies will still be protected.
If you are already 8 weeks pregnant, I am surprised that you still have to wait to be seen, especially with your history. You might consider seeing someone who can give you better access to care but that's just a midwife's opinion -- I'd have seen you the day you called!
--Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
