RhoGam question

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

just correct me or enhance my understanding

about when RhoGAM is given.

If the mother is Rh negative and unsensitized

then she receives RhoGAM if she has an Rh positive fetus,

but she does not receive it if the infant is negative.

She might have received antibodies as a fetus from her own mother if her mother was Rh positive, so she might already be sensitized before becoming pregnant herself.

Her Rh status must be tested first using indirect Coombs' test.

If she has a miscarriage, elective abortion, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy, then a microdose of immune globulin is used within the first 12 weeks' gestation. So, is she routinely given the RhoGAM after these events, if she is tested and found unsensitized (after first being tested to determine if she is already sensitized)?

thanks

Where I work we do test whether Rh- moms have been sensitized. We have only had 2 pts that I know of who have not received RhoGAM because they were sensitized. I don't know if this is standard practice in other hospitals or not.

is it an expensive test?

or maybe is it difficult to do the test?

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Our moms are tested pre-natally in the offices. On the unit, we give RhoGam, given the short time they stay with us and the fact we are not going to likely receive test results before they leave us. (particularly in the case of fetal/pregnancy loss---they may be with us only for hours, not even a day).

I received the RhoGam shot after I had my ectopic pregnancy. I have negative blood and they gave it to me after my surgery.

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