Why would someone need a rhogam shot after giving birth?

This is only beneficial if the mother, per the example, is negative and the baby positive; not vice versa. However it is not essential unless the mother has subsequent pregnancies where the baby is positive. This is because there is a risk of the mother passing the antibodies to the baby and those antibodies attacking the baby's blood; a condition called "rhesus baby" and before this shot existed, a baby might have needed a transfusion immediately after birth.

I am not a number., i was a rhesus baby in 1960 before the shot was invented. Had 4 blood transfusions at birth and I was child #4. Had a brother born 5 years before me that died at birth. Had a brother born after me that had 1 transfusion at birth (1967). Boy am I am glad it worked or I would not have survived. My parents stopped having children after my little brother. They called me a medical miracle even though I was just 5 pounds at birth too!

p.s. I was at risk of being a rhesus baby and the staff were on standby to give me a blood transfusion. My mother is negative but my two elder brothers were positive. After the second one, my mother got cross-contamination of the blood so had the antibodies. If I had been positive, those antibodies could have attached my blood.

This would have been handy for my poor mother. First she had me - who caused the antibodies and she then had two subsequent pregnancies to near term, both boys, which she lost due to this, which must have been devastating for her - and my father who was a young doctor at the time. Glad it doesnt have to happen any more and that I had three healthy grandchildren for her to enjoy.

tasha, my wife and I were both O - which the doctor said was next to impossible at the time, 50 years ago, my son was 11 lbs. 5 oz and perfectly healthy…

Purlie, No Purlie. Couples had to have blood tests before getting a marriage license to test for VD, specifically syphilis.

George. O negative is about 5 percent of the population, so statistically two O negative people as a couple is around 5 in a thousand - uncommon but not rare. Any child you had would also be O negative genetically, so would not be susceptible to this condition.

I WAS TOLD I MIGHT HAVE TO GET THIS SHOT WHEN I HAD MY SECOND BABY. FORTUNATELY I DIDNT. ITS WEIRD BECAUSE IM B NEGATIVE AND SHE IS POSITIVE.

Bubbles, so glad that you are ok & so sorry about your brother before you

that's the only reason I could think of at the time of birth

That's me. I'm negative and both kids positive.

The name used here is a commercial one rather than what it is. This name changes with supplier. May also be called Rhophylac. The substance is Anti D. Its arrival in late 60’s was a game changer in fetomaternal health.

I learned about some things today!

I was offered a shot after my daughter was born as I am rh neg and she isn't, they didn't know until she was born but it explains why I was so ill while pregnant as we were busy trying to poison each other! No one called it a rhogam shot though, that's new.

I'm wondering if this is why everyone had to have blood tests before getting a marriage license back in the 70's?

IRENE, like for you...