https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 15 Nov 2026 03:30:57 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1565684 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 11:12:21 +0000 holdonforonemoreday 1565684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For my DS, I had my RhoGam shot at 28 weeks, then nothing after as far as I remember. </p> <p>For DD, I had my shot at 28 weeks and then they discharged me after delivery without giving me my shot, so I got a panicked phone call a few days later telling me I had to come back for it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1565590 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 10:02:05 +0000 erwoo 1565590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Ah, got it. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1565580 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 09:45:08 +0000 Mae 1565580@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erwoo: My insurance doesn't pay anything until I reach my deductible, then 80% after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1565510 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 08:17:58 +0000 erwoo 1565510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm glad to hear they owned up to their mistake and you're free of those charges. But I'm sure your insurance would pay for it b/c it's part of your prenatal checkups, right? I had additional blood work and ultrasounds done b/c of issues and our insurance covered it all. I don't even think I paid a co-pay, ever, with my second pregnancy. But everyone's insurance is different and I switched to a really good one with higher premiums and ended up paying zero for a c-section delivery and all of my prenatal checkups, ultrasounds, and lab work. Anyway, glad it was sorted out! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1565507 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 08:09:30 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1565507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: wow! Crazy. I'm glad they're takin care of the charges! Good for you for investigating instead of blindly paying the bill. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1557095 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:49:30 +0000 Mae 1557095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>UPDATE: </p> <p>Yea... they messed up. They did mean to order the tests, but the blood draw was supposed to happen at 28 weeks BEFORE my rhogam shot. The day I went to the lab, they just missed the order. They said it is standard practice to test for antibodies prior to the rhogam shot just to double-check that you haven't developed any (even though developing them before 28 weeks if you've had no bleeding or genetic testing done is exceedingly rare). </p> <p>So the orders were just sitting in the system and when I went in for my cholesterol the lab then did everything currently pending. But, because I'd already had my rhogam shot, the test is totally useless because rhogam gives you a false positive automatically (or rather, the shot IS antibodies so it just makes it impossible to tell if you developed them before getting it). </p> <p>So because they made a mistake and gave me a test a time when it was utterly worthless to me, they are taking care of the charge. yay! </p> <p>(Of course that means I missed my only opportunity to have the test done because now it is too late... but I'm honestly not that upset about it because the risk of developing antibodies that early is VERY low and I have no risk factors and lots of docs don't even do the test as a routine thing... so I'm just not really worried about it). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1554065 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 13:07:33 +0000 Mae 1554065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Yea I have no idea?! I mean you'd think that she would have told me if I needed it done. Or the lab would have done the draw when I was there after my 28w appointment if she put it in during my appointment (since they had the orders for rhogam and tdap). Also, if this is truly standard and necessary testing-- wouldn't the midwives have been looking for results? Like if it had to be done say, at 30 weeks or whatever... wouldn't they be like "hmm its 30 weeks did her last doc order this or should we?" </p> <p>and yea the lab doesn't do that. they do ask your name. But then they just fill up their vials and go on their way, I've never had them tell me what all the vials are for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553974 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:51:37 +0000 cmomma17 1553974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They found out my blood type during the regular pre-natal blood workout (I have no idea what all it entailed) and I was rh-. I had the shot at 28 weeks ish, and then the shot again at birth. I don't think I was ever re-tested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553948 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:44:43 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1553948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: oh my goodness, so frustrating! It's like she put in bloodwork orders but never told you! And, you switched practices. If this WAS necessary, was she eventually going to call you, even though you're no longer her patient, to remind you about your pending orders?</p> <p>Geeze. </p> <p>The other thing that sticks out to me is that the lab didn't reiterate what bloodwork you're having done. Both at the hospital or at a place like Quest, I've been asked to verify my name, DOB and home address, and before they draw the blood someone always says something like, "okay, this is your glucose test / this is your first tri panel / this is to test your blood type" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553925 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:40:26 +0000 Mae 1553925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Almost. At 28 weeks I saw OB-B and it was a totally normal appointment except I had to go to the lab to get my rhogam and tdap shot (which OB-A had actually told me about early in pregnancy and was pre-planned for 28 weeks, she just happened to be on vacation that week so I saw her partner). OB-B never told me I needed any blood work, nor did I mention to her needing any (I didn't know I did then). So after the normal appointment she says okay head over to the lab for your rhogam and tdap (no scrip... they just send you across the hall, it is a small office). </p> <p>At my 32 week appointment with the midwives, I mentioned I needed the cholesterol test and asked them to order it. They said no problem and put the orders in (it is a different/bigger building with a separate lab department-- there is no physical scrip, they just put the orders in the computer they said). I asked if I needed to call the lab to make an appointment for the blood draw and she said no, that the orders just stay in their system for 12 months and I can stop in literally any time they are open to get the draw and they will look me up by name. So days later I dropped in on the lab, told them I had blood work orders put in by the midwife and gave them my name. They took me back, took some blood, and sent me on my way. They didn't tell me what they were drawing for, nor was I given any paperwork after the draw. </p> <p>I have no idea what/how the mistake could have happened. I don't fully know how their system works. It was a weird appointment because when I went in the nurse started telling me all these practice rules and I'm like "Ummm OB-B is not going to be my normal doctor, Ob-A is just on vacation this week so they booked me over here." and she was like "oh! I didn't know that I thought you were a transfer." So maybe they didn't look at my medical history and realize I'd had standard blood work done at 6 weeks? Maybe a bad code punched in? Maybe I did need the testing done but not until after labor? Maybe I needed the testing done and they forgot to tell me? I really have no clue... it is very confusing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553893 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:35:52 +0000 Adira 1553893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know I was tested twice for ABO/RH - once in the beginning of the pregnancy and once later around 28 weeks when I did the glucose screening. It's weird that they tacked this on though with your "go anytime" if they really needed this... bizarre! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553858 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:27:45 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1553858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: okay, so, at 28 weeks you saw OB-b and mentioned you'd like to get a cholesterol panel done. </p> <p>She gives you a script for bloodwork, says go whenever, but tacks on additional testing and didn't inform you.</p> <p>Am I right so far?</p> <p>So, my next questions would be.. Did she hang you a physical script, or was it electronically submitted? Is it even remotely possible she added the testing on by mistake?</p> <p>When I was 13w, my OB said to go ahead and schedule my anatomy scan. An electronic script was sent down to ultrasound, but I was also given a paper copy. I didn't notice until I got home and realized it read "DX: threatened abortion" and I FREAKED. It turns out it was a mistake (whew) and the wrong diagnostic code was punched in. When I scheduled my ultrasound, I was put on hold for them to call my OB who sent down a corrected script. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553832 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:20:33 +0000 Modern Daisy 1553832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im pretty sure i was never tested for anything extra for being rh-. I had rhogam 3 times, once when i had some spotting, then at 28 weeks and immediately post partum. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553778 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:07:15 +0000 Mae 1553778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: OB-B is the one who put in the orders for it, apparently, at my 28 week appointment. But I was at the lab after that appointment for my rhogam and tdap shot and no one drew my blood. And she never mentioned my needing a blood draw. Nor did the midwives ever mention they were waiting for me to get the blood work done. It's all very strange.</p> <p>ETA: I am currently waiting on a call back from the office manager for OB-B. I explained the situation to her and that I wanted to know 1) why these tests were ordered and 2) why I was never told about them, before I'd be willing to pay for them. She said she'd investigate and get back to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553770 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:05:39 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1553770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: well, who wrote your script for bloodwork? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553714 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:50:57 +0000 Mae 1553714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Oh I've asked many people :) The whole thing is complicated by the fact that I've seen multiple docs. Concisely-- I was a patient of "OB-A" from the start of my pregnancy through 28 weeks when I switched to a midwife practice run by the same hospital group (so, same system, but different practitioner). However OB-A was on vacation during week 28 so they sent me to OB-B, her partner that week. I started seeing the midwives with week 30 and have continued with them. They are who I asked to run the cholesterol test and told me to "go any time" for that. Neither OB-B (at my 28 week appointment) nor the midwives at my 30, 32, 34 week appointments every mentioned my needing additional blood work done. </p> <p>And yes, EXACTLY. If it was medically necessary why did no one tell me to go get it done? It's only because I'm anal and am trying to cross everything off my "to-do list" before the baby comes that I decided to get my cholesterol run now v. later since I have until September to do it. So if I'd just decided to put it off until this summer it wouldn't have been done it seems. That's what made me initially call and question all this, and the midwives say that OB-B is the one who put in the lab orders at 28 weeks "because you're rh-". So it seems to me that one of the following happened: </p> <p>1) The tests WERE medically necessary for some reason and ordered appropriately by OB-B, but she forgot to tell me and then somehow they just fell between the cracks because I switched practices the next week (even though they use the same computer system/records??). </p> <p>2) The tests were medically necessary but not supposed to be done yet. Like maybe when they do the rhogam shot they automatically put in orders to check your blood at birth to see if you need shot #2? And so the tests shouldn't have been run until I delivered but bc I wandered into the lab they did them early? </p> <p>3) The tests were not medically necessary and I have no idea why they were ordered and now they are trying to say they were necessary to get me to pay for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553707 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:49:46 +0000 MamaMagpie 1553707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: ughhh how extremely annoying!<br /> I'm with @Mrs. Jump Rope: on making sure you ask/point that out (if you haven't already, which you probably have lol)<br /> So sorry you're dealing with this! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553684 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:43:12 +0000 MrsScottish 1553684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew I was O-, but they did the blood test when she did all the inital blood tests in pregnancy to confirm. When it was confirmed, she then sent DH for blood work to see what he was. He is A- so it doesn`t matter. If he was + she said it would be a shot at 28 weeks, then baby would be tested after birth and if baby was + then I would get a second shot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553682 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:42:58 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1553682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: ignore me of you've ready done this, but did you flat out ask them why it was ordered but you weren't told about it?</p> <p>Here's what threw me off: you asked for a cholesterol test &amp; they told you to go sometime within the next year. If they tacked on this "medically necessary" test to the order, why were you told to go at your convenience? If it's pregnancy related, why weren't you told to go by x date?</p> <p>I'm not RH- so I don't have any personal experience with testing and further bloodwork. But the whole "go whenever / sike! Here's your big bill!" really throws me off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553666 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:38:39 +0000 meredithNYC 1553666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember having any additional testing done </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553664 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:38:15 +0000 Mae 1553664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMagpie: In the last week I've been on the phone with my insurance company, the billing people at the hospital, the nurse at my current practice, and the office manager at my old practice (I switched at 30 weeks, adding a layer of complicated-ness). I'm currently waiting for some calls back. So I'm definitely investigating. But ultimately if they stand behind the fact that it was medically necessary there isn't much I can do-- they're the docs right? :/ (and maybe it WAS? I mean, at "best" it was necessary and they simply forgot to tell me that I should go to the lab and get it done and I am lucky I happened to go in anyways.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553652 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:36:13 +0000 Mae 1553652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mamimami: I make it a rule to not google medical complications :) I'm wayyy too neurotic to play that game. But I do know that my doc told me early on if I had any spotting at all, if I ever fell, ever had any injury whatsoever let her know immediately and they'd give me the rhogam then vs. at 28 weeks. I was super lucky to have an uneventful pregnancy (thus far) and had none of that, so I just had the shot at 28. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553649 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:35:37 +0000 MamaMagpie 1553649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: so I'm not 100% on this but my feeling is that they did add in tests that may not have been "standard" rh- stuff. Thinking back on it, all my bloodwork happened at the beginning and was the normal screening stuff. Is there anything you can do to fight paying the bill since you didn't order the tests? Argh how annoying :-/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553622 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:29:18 +0000 mamimami 1553622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: One thing I do know is that if you have antibodies, the rhogam shot is totally worthless. SO, if for some reason your blood has come in contact with the baby's blood during your pregnancy, and the baby's blood is positive, not only will the shot not work but you're in a whole mess of possible trouble and you can google that.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553618 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:28:25 +0000 cheert16 1553618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had no additional testing done! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553613 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:27:40 +0000 SouthPaw 1553613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Hey after I got my rh shot I did not receive any additional blood tests. I would be annoyed too about additional blood work (especially if the costs were pushed to me). </p> <p>I hope you're able to figure it out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553419 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 10:51:33 +0000 Mae 1553419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mamimami: interesting. that was when this test was ordered so I wonder if they DID consider it necessary for some reason but just forgot to tell me? In which case I'm slightly annoyed they forgot to tell me but grateful I wandered into the lab of my own accord I guess...? lol</p> <p>@annie624: I don't really understand the rh- thing very well. Is being rh- the same thing as being an antibody carrier? I also don't know what titers are... :/ I guess I just thought things would be like @sorrycharlie: said... I am A- therefore I get the rhogam at 28 weeks and at birth and I'm good to go? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553159 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:40:35 +0000 sorrycharlie 1553159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't recall having any testing done. I knew I was O- way before becoming pregnant, so I just got the Rhogam shot at 28 weeks and after birth and that was that.</p> <p>Unless they did it and I had no idea? I don't remember...but I don't think I had blood work aside from my early blood work (8 weeks) and my glucose.</p> <p>ETA: and the NT testing blood work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553144 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:36:27 +0000 annie624 1553144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am rh-. I knew prior to becoming pregnant that I am an antibody carrier... It's a potentially harmful antibody. So, they did my titers every other week (lots of bloodwork!) and also I had several more ultrasounds (I had one every four weeks) than I would have had normally--apparently they can catch it early by ultrasound. I felt like I was in good hands.</p> <p>After typing all that I realized that's not very helpful to your original question. Haha- Sorry. :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-are-rh-#post-1553126 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:32:23 +0000 mamimami 1553126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: The tests I got were around 28-30 weeks each time. </p>