1. Can I get antibodies from donating blood?
No, you will not be exposed to anyone elses blood while donating.
^ Back to top
2. Do I need to tell a new doctor about a prior, uneventful transfusion?
Yes. It is important for your doctor to have that information because there is a chance that you became sensitized to one or more antigens due to that transfusion. While this will not negatively affect your health, it will tell you doctor to be especially vigilant with any subsequent transfusions.
^ Back to top
3. If a mother has an Rh-incompatibility with one child, will she have them with all of her children?
It depends on each baby’s Rh type. Rh status is part of a person’s blood type. A person will have a blood type “O,” “A,” “B,” or “AB” and be either “Rh-positive” or “Rh-negative” – referred to as positive or negative. An example of this is “O positive” or “O negative.” When a mother is Rh-negative, she may develop
antibodies against the red blood cells of her first Rh-positive child. Any subsequent Rh-positive children may then be affected by the mother’s Rh antibodies. Fortunately, this is now relatively rare as Rh-negative mothers are tested during and after their pregnancy and are given RhIg (RhImmune Globulin) injections to prevent the development of Rh antibodies.
^ Back to top
