Blood typing at birth?

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

It's been a while since my OB rotation and even longer since I had kids. Has it become standard practice to blood type newborns at delivery?

[Sarah010101]

Im pretty sure it is... they do ABGs.. and im pretty sure they do a rush on blood typing if mom is Rh neg.. its been a while since my mat rotation too.. hmm.. now im curious?

[CarrieRNC]

We collect a "cord blood sample" from the cord after every delivery, a hold cord blood order is generated and the tube is sent to BB to be held if needed, not every infant born is typed. IE: if mom is RH neg or if the infant becomes jaundiced, at that point the BB will run the cord blood for type and screen. Does that answer your question?

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

We type and Coombs everyone whose mom is type O (Rh + or -), and everyone whose mom is Rh-. Other people get a cord blood sample collected, but like the above poster, it's held so if needed we can run it.

[klone, MSN, RN]

We don't even collect cord blood unless mom is Rh- or type O.

Blood gases are only collected if baby looked really bad on the strip or mom abrupted.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the info. Yes, it does answer my question. A nutritionist colleague asked me if she could call the hospital and find out her preschooler's blood type. I figured a cord blood sample was collected. I can answer the question and not sound like an idiot.

[Mommy of 2]

I understand why you would check if mother is Rh- but why for O blood?

[klone, MSN, RN]

I understand why you would check if mother is Rh- but why for O blood?

Because of a possible ABO incompatibility, which puts the infant at much greater risk of jaundice. If mom is O and baby is not O (especially if Coombs positive) doctors have a much lower threshold for starting bili lights than with a baby who has no risk factors.

[suezan59]

Our hospital types the cord blood on all babies, regardless of mom's blood type.