Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Effectiveness of Rhogam if Given Early in Miscarriage | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I was given a Rhogam shot after an ultrasound confirmed that the baby I was carrying had no fetal heartbeat. I ended up passing the baby, placenta, and blood the next week. That was six weeks ago.
Now, after doing some reading, I'm confused... Will the shot still work even though the process of my miscarriage was not yet complete--meaning that the baby was still in me--when I recieved the Rhogam?— Alana in Whittier, CA | | | ANSWER |
December 4, 2001 | | | Dear Alana,
You are asking an excellent question, and I want to congratulate you on taking responsibility to ensure you are getting good care.
As you know, Rh immunoglobulin, or Rhogam, prevents you from rejecting fetal blood cells that are Rh positive. It is given to women who are Rh negative who may be carrying fetuses who are Rh positive. Rh immunoglobulin treatment is particularly important for future pregnancies.
The piece of information that you are missing is that Rhogam circulates in your system for weeks, or even months, so it doesn't matter if you get it just a few days before a miscarriage. You just want it in your system any time fetal cells might enter your circulation.
It sounds like you got appropriate care and that you are protected for the next time you're ready to get pregnant again. Good luck.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
|
