I am Rhesus negative. Do I need an anti-D injection after an abortion with pills?
Usually individuals with Rhesus negative (Rh-) bloodtype who have an abortion or miscarriage after 12 weeks, or give birth, are advised to have an injection of anti-D globulin. If the fetus has a Rhesus positive (Rh+) blood type and it is exchanged with the woman, the woman's body can produce antibodies that can affect another fetus if she decides to have another baby.
However,
research indicates that early medical abortion (in the first 12 weeks) and first trimester natural miscarriages have no or very little exchange of blood between the pregnant woman and the fetus, and the pregnant woman does not make a significant amount of antibodies that could affect the next fetus. Therefore, anti-D globulin is not prescribed in these cases.
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