Rhesus Negative Factor

[Rose Dempsey]

Hi, this is my first post on here, so hope I do everything ok. I just got my results back from Ancestry regarding my DNA and I did wonder about RH Neg too. Funnily enough, the response about origins from the Iberian Peninsular, my DNA from there is 7%. I just said to my hubby, such a small percentage and yet probably the origin of my rhesus negativity. Amazing how complex we are!

NAMES:
Lewis, Burton,
Poyser, Burgum, Halestrap, Blackmore,Wilmot, Hodgkinson
PLACES:
1851 to 1950's Plaistow/Canning Town in West Ham district of London
now moving backwards to Hull, and Blore Staffordshire

[Nanna52]

How interesting.  Being O- I had a special injection within 24 hours of O+ sons arrival. 
Have always been interested in the theory of alien life, not keen on reptiles so I will accept being descended from aliens or Gods.   

[3sillydogs]

Even though both OH and I are RH- I was given an injection within hours of son's birth as a precaution.  Didn't though for second one.  Both children are RH- 

Also not so keen on the reptile thing but also having an interest in the concept of alien life, them and gods are certainly more appealing as ancestors.......

[LizzieW]

I'm Rhesus A Neg, my husband is B positive, yet all our children are Rh Negative.  Some are A, some AB and some O (we have 5 children), so they must all have picked up my husband's negative gene.  Oddly my parents both had the same type of blood, they carried brown cards because they were both unusual in that they were positive to give, but negative to receive.  I don't know what my brothers blood groups are (in any case one died when he was only 37) but somehow I ended up with Rh Neg blood.  When I worked in a hospital I asked a haematologist to explain it to me - of course it's much more complicated than mylucky's very clear explanation.  I know if I'm A neg, then my blood group is AO and my husband B pos is BO and our children are mix and match but all got my husband's neg gene.

[Billyblue]

Lizzie, did the pathologist explain how, if your husband is Positive, his children get a negative gene from him?  Wouldn't it have come from yourself?


Dawn M

[pinefamily]

My father's family virtually all died at a relatively young age, my aunt being the exception (she lived past 70). When starting out on my family history, I was told that this was because my grandparents had incompatible blood types, rhesus positive and negative.
It's interesting to see that it is very common in northern Spain, as that is where my paternal ancestors came from, several hundred years ago. It could also account for a lack of surviving large families in the line

[LizzieW]

Lizzie, did the pathologist explain how, if your husband is Positive, his children get a negative gene from him?  Wouldn't it have come from yourself?


Dawn M

Dawn I think the explanation is as has been said on here earlier, I must be A(O)-- and my husband B(O)+- so that all the children picked up his negative gene, the eldest is AB neg, one of the others A neg and the others O neg.  There's no other explanation as the children (apart from the adopted one) are definitely my children.  Likewise I know I am my father's child because I look just like him and his sisters!

[LizzieW]

pinefamily - If a husband is Rh positive and mother Rh negative the first baby is generally OK even if it is Rh positive, however it will have produced antibodies to its mother's blood (that's why Rh neg mums are now given an Anti D injection after giving birth).  Before the Anti D injection many subsequent babies of these mixed couples picked up the antibodies produced by the first baby and became very ill and many died.  It's probably easier if you read up about it, rather than me try to explain in a mangled fashion.

3sillydogs - even though you and your husband are both Rh neg, it's usual to give mum the injection just in case the husband is not the father of the baby   My youngest son and his wife are both Rh neg but she had injections after all her 3 children.

[3sillydogs]

LizzieW... My doc said it was just a precaution but I didn't get it for the second one.....

The RH factor played a part with OH's mum, when he was born all was ok, but the second child born 14months later had issues and was given a blood transfusion.  Apparently according to mum when I was born the same procedure was on standby, but because my folks are both neg it wasn't needed, even though I was the first born.  They obviously understand the whole thing much better than they did 60 odd years ago....