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If your parents have different Rh factors (or if they are both positive and you want to know for sure that you are also positive), you can request a blood typing test. This outpatient procedure is fast and should not be very painful. You can go home afterwards. A nurse or physician will clean a spot on your inner elbow or wrist with an antiseptic towelette. He/She will locate an easily accessible vein in this area. After wrapping a tourniquet around your upper arm to pool the blood, he/she will stick your vein with a needle. The needle is usually connected to a syringe, which removes your blood. Once he/she has taken enough blood, he/she will take out the needle and gently press the injection site with a sterile swab. You will then receive a bandage. Afterwards, the nurse will label your sample and send it to a lab for testing. Doctors test children's blood through the back of their hands. If you feel like you might pass out, tell the medical professional. He/She can help you recline. You might feel a prick, sting, or mild pain when your nurse sticks you. After the test, you might bruise at the puncture site. This pain should not last long. At the laboratory, a technician will test your sample for its Rh factor. He/She will combine a sample of your blood with an anti-Rh serum. If your cells clot, you have Rh+. On the other hand, if your blood cells do not stick together, you are Rh-. It is likely that the lab will run tests to determine your ABO blood type as well during this time. Record your blood type in a safe place and share this information with your emergency contacts. You will need this information if you require a blood transfusion or organ transplants. Additionally, if you are or plan to be pregnant, knowing your Rh factor is essential. If you are female and Rh-, you will need to have your partner test his Rh factor. If you are Rh- and he is Rh+, you can experience Rh incompatibility. This means that if your baby inherits his father's Rh+, your antibodies can attack the baby's red blood cells. This can cause extreme anemia and possible death for the baby. During your pregnancy, if you are Rh-, you will take blood tests to see whether your body is producing antibodies against Rh+ blood. The first will happen in your first trimester and the second will occur when you are 28 weeks pregnant. If no antibodies have developed, you will receive a shot of Rh immune globulin. This shot will prevent your body from producing harmful antibodies against your child. If your body has produced antibodies against Rh+ blood, you will not receive an immune globulin shot. Instead, doctors will keep a close eye on your baby as he/she develops. Either before or after his/her birth, your child might receive a blood transfusion. Once your baby is born, doctors can test his/her Rh factor. If your baby shares your Rh factor, you will need no further treatment. If you are Rh- negative, however, and your baby is Rh+, you must receive another immune globulin shot.
Ask your doctor for a blood type test. Take blood typing test. Test blood sample. Recognize the importance of your results. Be aware of your pregnancy risks.