Geneticist and Specialist Appointment

First off, we want to say thank you for everyone's prayers, kind words of encouragement, and all of the support we are getting from our friends and family. Our appointment went much better than we had been told to expect. First we met with a geneticist who explained in more detail what we "have" and what it can do to our future babies, if we decide to get pregnant again. She also drew out a genetic family tree and told us the probabilities of our children getting other genetic issues, which were all VERY small, but still interesting to know.

We were told, PRAISE THE LORD, that we should try to have at least one more child, and that the risks associated with our next pregnancy are present but not alarmingly high. There is a 50 percent chance the next baby will NOT get the antigen that Scott carries, but there is a 50 percent chance that the baby will. IF the baby does not have it, then the pregnancy will be normal. If the baby DOES have it there are a lot of varying possibilities.

Because my level of antibody is non-detectable right now, it probably wont' get to a reactive level until the middle of my 3rd trimester. If it's past 33 weeks, the baby will be delivered prematurely. If it's before 33 weeks, the baby will have an in utero blood transfusion. However, it still likely that we make it to 36-38 weeks and just have the C-section then with no transfusions, and a very jaundiced baby. But Jaundice can be fixed.

In any other following pregnancies where the baby has the antigen, my body will recognize it even faster and it will not be good.

So, what the Dr. told us bottom line is that there are a LOT of "odds" in the case and right now all the odds are in our favor. That we SHOULD try again, and then after that pregnancy that should by almost all means be successful even if it has some complications, we will reassess about a 3rd child.

We also learned that 77% of Caucasians carry this antigen, and 99% of African Americans carry it. so the antigen is VERY common, and it's very uncommon to find in a couple that one person has it (Scott) and one does not (me).

Because I have the antibody for this antigen, I have to get a medical bracelet or necklace and wear it at all times. If I were in a bad car wreck or needed a blood transfusion for any reason, and were to receive blood with this antigen in it, I would then have a hemolytic reaction causing damage to my organs or even death if it is not caught quickly enough. scary.

anyway, we are praising God for the good news we got today, though our anxiety levels about getting pregnant again are not completely gone. We have been praying through this every day, even multiple times a day and have decided to try and get pregnant again. In the event that we do get pregnant again, I will receive blood work to check my antibody levels every 2 weeks and sonograms every 2 weeks. Please support us with your continued prayers and words of encouragement. We are beyond thankful for all of them and for all of you.