Disturbing story about doctor's negligence I had to share

[Zivic-Bubac]

I'm not sure where to post this...
Some of you remember I've posted few days ago here http://genderdreaming.com/forum/showthread.php?4385-A-question-from-a-pregnant-friend! about my friend who has tilted uterus, 3 girls so far and pg wit #4.

Well yesterday I ran to her brother and he told me her baby died. I was like WHAT????? WHAT????

It turned out she were Rh negative and her girls are Rh+, so in her 4th pregnancy doctors were changing baby's blood (???) intrauterino because of high levels of antibodies.

During last procedure they accidentally stubbed poor baby with needle and she hemorrhaged to death :sad: They delivered her immediately (8 month pg)
but baby died few minutes after. It was perfectly healthy baby girl :sad:

I was devastated when I heard that and I can't even imagine how is my friend feeling. She is 10 years younger then me and always wanted at least 5 kiddos. Idk if she would be able to have more due to Rh incompatibility?

My mom is Rh- and all 3 of her children are Rh+. She had difficult pg with my brother (#3) he was delivered at 7 month, very weak with high billirubin etc long story, but he made it without concequences. My mom received Rhogan when pg with him.

I'm Rh+ but both my girls are Rh - (DH is Rh-) and after this story I'm scared to death will they have to go through heart breaking experience like that :sad:

[ELP]

That is so sad ZB:( I cannot imagine what she's going through.

[zanacal]

Oh ZB, I have goosebumps, that's just terrible. I'm so sad for your friend and her family, what a heartbreaking situation. Give her an extra cuddle from me x

[purplepoet20]

The RH +/- only has an affect on the baby, which is the hardest part to handle when you are pregnant, but for the baby...

If mother is RH- and the baby is RH+ in most cases the blood will not mix until delivery. It takes a while for the mothers body to make antibodies that would affect the baby. You are more likely to have a healthy 1st pregnancy. Any pregnancy after that will result in more issues because of the antibodies waiting in the mom. This can cause the baby to have anemia, jaundice, or more serious problems. The problems will tend to get worse with each Rh-positive pregnancy you have.

During your first pregnancy, your baby could be at risk for Rh disease if you were sensitized before or during pregnancy. This can happen if... 1. You had a previous miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy and you did not receive Rh immune globulin to prevent sensitization. 2. You had a serious injury to your belly during pregnancy. 3. You had a medical test such as an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling while you were pregnant, and you did not receive Rh immune globulin. These tests could let your blood and your baby’s blood mix.

[Flava]

I don't get it? Why is this a problem and changing blood? WTH? Im RH - and never had any problem because of it. (kids are +)

poor baby:sad:

[purplepoet20]

I don't get it? Why is this a problem and changing blood? WTH? Im RH - and never had any problem because of it. (kids are +)

poor baby:sad:

Really! That is odd... most people have problems with the 2nd baby. It can cause jaundice or animia but can also increase the chances of m/c!

[Hobbermittens]

That is AWFUL! I am so sorry for your friend. What a heartbreaking story. :(

[LolaInLove]

What a horrible turn of events, I am so sorry to hear that, ZB! I hope that after the mourning period, they take some action to ensure that this doctor doesn't do this again.

[Zivic-Bubac]

I don't get it? Why is this a problem and changing blood? WTH? Im RH - and never had any problem because of it. (kids are +)

poor baby:sad:

Is it possible that you are Rh- and all your children are Rh+ and you never received anything during pregnancies ( not during first one of course)? If that's the case then 1 or more of your children are Rh- in which case you don't need anything during pg because there wasn't Rh incompatibility.

Rh incompatibility is very serious condition which can even cause death of the baby. How serious it is depends on number of Rh+ pregnancies and mother's individual Rh antibodies level.

Here is what I've found:
If a doctor determines that a woman has already developed Rh antibodies, then the pregnancy will be closely monitored to make sure that those levels are not too high. In rare cases, if the incompatibility is severe and the baby is in danger, a series of special blood transfusions (called exchange transfusions) can be performed either while the baby is still in the uterus or after delivery.

Exchange transfusions replace the baby's blood with RBCs that are Rh-negative. This procedure stabilizes the baby's level of red blood cells and minimizes further damage caused by circulating Rh antibodies already present in the baby's blood******. ( I copied/pasted it from this link http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/your_pregnancy/rh.html#)

I guess it was exchange transfusion that killed the baby :sadflwr:

[Zivic-Bubac]

they take some action to ensure that this doctor doesn't do this again. Unfortunately, that's highly unlike here, taking some actions against the doctors....There were few cases when adult patients died because of doctor's negligence or obvious mistakes in procedures but those lasted for years and Idk the ending, probably the families were given money or something...Very sad reality.

[Zivic-Bubac]

The RH +/- only has an affect on the baby, which is the hardest part to handle when you are pregnant, but for the baby...

If mother is RH- and the baby is RH+ in most cases the blood will not mix until delivery. It takes a while for the mothers body to make antibodies that would affect the baby. You are more likely to have a healthy 1st pregnancy. Any pregnancy after that will result in more issues because of the antibodies waiting in the mom. This can cause the baby to have anemia, jaundice, or more serious problems. The problems will tend to get worse with each Rh-positive pregnancy you have.

During your first pregnancy, your baby could be at risk for Rh disease if you were sensitized before or during pregnancy. This can happen if... 1. You had a previous miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy and you did not receive Rh immune globulin to prevent sensitization. 2. You had a serious injury to your belly during pregnancy. 3. You had a medical test such as an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling while you were pregnant, and you did not receive Rh immune globulin. These tests could let your blood and your baby’s blood mix.

Excellent explanation purple :agree: I was googling the whole day yesterday about Rh incompatibility http://yoursmiles.org/psmile/science/p0317.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/p-science.php?page=)

Second pregnancy usually goes without major problems, just jaundice or anaemia but 3rd and further pg are connected with complications if not treated properly. And of course as you said every m/c, abortion etc will raise further mother's antibodies.

[Zivic-Bubac]

Oh ZB, I have goosebumps, that's just terrible. I'm so sad for your friend and her family, what a heartbreaking situation. Give her an extra cuddle from me x
That's so sweet of you Zani! I'm hesitating to call her, maybe in a few days. I'll tell her lots of my friends from ..umm...never mind :wink: are sending hugs.

[zanacal]

It must be so hard to know what to do but I know you'll be a fantastic friend and support when the time comes x

[mummyof3boys]

oh How sad : ( thats just terrible

[happyheart]

What a very sad story! :( My heart goes out to them!

[fresas]

I literally gasped out loud. I am so very sorry for your friend. I cannot imagine. I am so sorry.

[My Fabulous Children]

So very very sad :sad:

[pinkdreams]

How awful! I am also Rh- and both of my sons are + but I have never had any sort of issues or concerns even mentioned to me. I received rhogam early on in each pregnancy and after a miscarriage I had as well as just after deliveries. Is that not common? I was told that was to prevent issues in future pregnancies. My heart goes out to her and her family :(

[shaven12]

OMG, what a horrible sory. How is your friend doing?

[Mum23boys]

Really! That is odd... most people have problems with the 2nd baby. It can cause jaundice or animia but can also increase the chances of m/c!

Ive got 3 RH+ childrena nd am RH- and non of them have had problems .... i just get the injections through pregnancy and thats it so i as shocked to read this ....

[black&gold]

I'm Rh- and both my boys are rh+. I got a blood test done with both babies early on to see if there were any antibodies in my blood from maybe a previous miscarriage I was unaware of. I also got a shot during my pregnancy and after delivery (if the baby was +) to prevent any complications with future pregnancies.

From my understanding the issue would arise if you didn't know you'd had a miscarriage and never got a Rhogam shot right afterwards, or if you refused to get the shot (like some people do) and had an issue where the blood mixed (injury etc) or if you refused or forgot to get the shot after delivery where it's likely blood mixes then you could have issues with your next baby if they were positive.

It's very rare that these problems arise - especially if you take the precautions and get the shot, but even for those who never do like my grandmother who had 7 kids without one rhogam shot - it's still a small percentage that anything would even happen.

Very very sad story, I can't even imagine the pain she'd be feeling!