If the pregnant person has rhesus negative blood but the baby has rhesus positive blood, antibodies can be set up which can attack the baby’s blood.
In the first affected pregnancy the baby is usually not significantly affected, but the antibodies remain in the parent’s body and so subsequent babies can be much more seriously affected.
For many years in the UK anyone with rhesus negative blood has been offered injections of “anti-D” during pregnancy to prevent the problem antibodies being set up.
However, if your baby is also rhesus negative, you simply do not need the anti-D. Anti-D is made from donated blood and is therefore in limited supply. Any blood product carries a very small risk of infection.
In order to know if your baby is “rhesus positive” or “rhesus negative” a special blood test can be done. The national recommendation by NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) is that this testing should be offered during pregnancy to anyone who is rhesus negative. Not all are yet making it available.
Information about the test can be read here: https://nhsbtdbe.blob.core.windows.net/umbraco-assets-corp/4401/inf1263.pdf
I am authorised to send samples to the National laboratory for testing on a private basis. It can be done from 12 weeks of pregnancy and a scan is needed before the test.
I suggest that it is done as soon as possible after your scan at around 12-13 weeks.
The current cost, including an initial consultation home visit, blood sampling, lab cost and explaining the result to you, is £135.
If you are having other care form me and take the test as part of another consultation, a reduced fee applies.