I phoned the midwife to enquire and was told she made a clerical error, no antibodies in my blood. It could be prevented if they would just screen. Moreover if your wife had a C-section then she has had major abdominal surgery and all kinds of transfer can happen. Also, there are HUNDREDS of antigens a partner could pass to baby that mother doesn’t have– many in the Rh system, Kell system, Kidd system, Duffy, Dombrock, etc. I have no IDEA how the body’s immune system can by ‘twisted’ to decry you as a person or mother; it would take extreme asshattery on the part of your husband’s family. If you get pregnant again you need to be referred to a high risk doctor by 12 wks. First, let me congratulate you on your twins! Thank you for the advice Kyra! I understand how it works when the mother is negative and the father is positive. In Blood Will Tell I talked about the theory that Henry VIII had a Kell positive blood type, but in my quest to prevent innocent readers from slipping into an over-science coma I didn’t go into deep detail about it. But my levels of it were too weak to show up on the titer level. I sincerely hope all goes well! That episode stressed me out a lot I had to ask my parents about it without telling them Im pregnant… but im glad it was just a mistake. Odds are good your body will always make enough red blood cells for you. I wrote you earlier, but my blog didn’t post it. To clarify what you seem to misunderstand, even blood bankers are guilty of calling “K’ the “Kell” antigen, and “k” the “cellano” antigen. Wait another 3 … Mine was K+k+. How can that be? Are they overrated or is it a big deal? Years later they had another child, also Kk. This is in addition to the ABO blood groups that most people know about. And the most common for Europeans and Africans was the K-k+. If they’re present, your doc will closely monitor your pregnancy through blood tests and ultrasounds. What I am also wondering is are the Kell antibodies only detectable if the baby in fact has the antigen, or are they detectable even when basically dormant. Once you are sensitized you can be too low to titer but should you get pregnant again w a K+ baby chances are your body will will have the same reaction. Kell is not a blood type. And generally, that’s not a problem. I believe there is a good chance if my son has a Kell blood type that my wife will have K antigens so could you tell me what I should specifically ask the midwife to do regarding this? Also, multiple miscarriages could have been because of a physiological issue in the mother, as well. My doctor explained my problem to my husband and I, where I cried until his results came back negative. But not a freak. If I’m Kk in your terminology, my son would have a chance of being negative but if I’m KK he would not? This is in addition to the ABO blood groups that most people know about. Stress can also hurt you and the baby. Of course, all of them could have brown eyes – it depends on the roll of the genetic dice when Mr. They have lots they can do for alloimmunization nowadays, and will be even better in the future I hope, so there is no reason to stress this far away from game day . Also, I would say it was quite likely Henry was homozygous for Kell BC if he was Heterozygous there would be a 50/50 chance subsequent children would not be affected. My hubby tested positive for kell antigen and is homogenous for kell so all our kids are kell positive , can you please explain how he is homogenous for kell antigen , my pregnancy is now 34 weeks and my tillers have remained stable at 1:28 but today have doubled , baby shows no signs of anaemia via mca scan and no signs of hydrous but they want to deliver in 2 weeks , what does the rise in antibodies mean? so far the doctors are thinking that i got this anti-body from the transfusions since we r still waiting on my husbands blood test from last week. So as I understand all my other babies were kell negative and if this baby is kell postive my body will give this baby a chance ? Kell is not a blood type it is antigen found on the red blood cell. READ MORE. I feel like even if the baby is negative and so is my husband that there could still be problems with myself? I wish we had the $ for the full bloodwork for my husband, as we are only finding put of he is positive or negative for the antigens. What does it mean to be “sex positive?” This is one of those terms that different people define in different ways; however, at the core of most definitions is the idea that we must recognize that human sexuality—in its diverse and myriad forms of expression—is natural and healthy. The babies who had mild jaundice did so most likely because of the “big” antigen groups — A or B. Ok, yes I had it backwards. Just remember that my opinion is likely to be inferior to the doctor’s on any point of difference. If those offspring marry blue-eyed (bb) people, then more of the grandkids will be blue-eyed too. Random chance works like that. First, I am not a doctor so please don’t hold me up as ‘real’ medical advice! Le système Rhésus est un système complexe qui comporte plusieurs antigènes dont le plus important pour la transfusion est l’antigène D. Sur les globules rouges des sujets dits Rhésus négatifs l’antigène D n’est pas présent alors qu’il l’est chez les sujets Rhésus positif. (noun) Dictionary ! Well, my first instinct is to wonder if you got a false positive or if your husband got a false negative. but he is also conserned on how his family will twist this around since we dont know much about this anti-body. Kell is not a blood type; it is one (among many things) that attaches to some peoples blood cells. But in some breast cancers, the HER2 gene produces too many proteins. Thankful to The Lord! I have been wondering if the tables could be turned, could the father produce a K positive baby and mom be k negative. The Kell blood type system is highly polymorphic, meaning that there are many different alleles (alternative forms of a gene) - about 25! I will not be having any more children, but am concerned that it may be an issue for them when they have children. I was diagnosed Kell positive when I was in my 20.’ My wife at the time had 6 miscarriages. My husband quickly went in to get his blood tested and the results came back today that said he was negative. I say that it’s more look like a woman with a blood type of “-” marrying a man with blood type “+”. . If they are Kell negative, you’ll know the test for your husband was off a bit and that he is Kk, not KK. And even if he DID have the Kell gene, there is lots they could do for his future reproductive partner, and many people with K+ men get lucky and get 3 Kell negative babies in a row. I too became anti-kell from a blood transfusion. Ask me again in 150 years.). Thank you so much. I just have a biology degree and study doctors. Yes, Rh and Kell antibodies are a concern because tend to be relatively immunogenic and cause more severe hemolytic disease of the newborn because they are expressed by a fetus so early and women lose babies. The only way to know if she has the anti-Kell antigens is to go to an Ob/Gyn and get the blood tests done to detect them. how? This post will provide a tad more information as to what it is exactly and how it is transmitted. (Sadly, two losses in a row are common; docs don’t usually ‘worry’ until the third.) Would the baby’s blood attack moms blood? My husbands waiting to get results to find out if he is kell pos. I have three children. I have K antibodies, my husband is apparently negative with kk. The person who proposed to my has the blood type O+ but with kell antigens I have Orthostatic Hypotension and after my 1st baby girl I ruptured a vein causing me to lose blood when I was already anemic and had a lowish blood count. You are not a “freak”. QED – Henry had a Kk genotype. It makes me wary of donating blood, because I’ve told them “I have Kell” and the only place that would actually write that down was Stanford. Multiple pregnancy losses are agonizing to go through, but more common than people realize. The B Positive blood type is extremely valuable where matching supply for the demand has been a constant challenge. I didn’t find out until i was preganat with my second child five years later. Since I have B negative blood, and my partner O positive I did the direct and indirect Coombs tests after both of my losses to check for RH issues, and they were negative. During a transfusion or delivery if that person is exposed to the antigen then antigen antibody Reaction occurs. Thank Goodness all is ok, but now I don’t think I can donate Blood anymore which is sad as I am It is an X-linked recessive disorder affecting the gene that produces the Kx protein. Okay, I’m trying to remember science in middle school, having a tough time. So how do you know he is Kell antigen positive. That’s right. How can this be? Is that correct? Kyra and Rebecca Ware, I hope I explained why your last healthy baby could have been unknown Kell positive adequately? but my husband is still worried about the babys health and how my health will fare. But they and many other “Kell” antigens are actually ALL part of the “Kell” system. A Kell positive man can cause serious problems for his reproductive partners after the first pregnancy, because a Kell negative mother’s body will develop a Kell alloimmunization — which means that her body would attack a Kell positive fetus as “foreign” and the result is fetal or neonatal death. Remember, YOU are here and you were obviously a Kell+ fetus at one point. Most OB/Gyns won’t be looking for this problem, because it doesn’t come up all that often. Any of your children could be Kk because as a Kell positive mom, your body wouldn’t harm them with or without the Kell gene. I am so sorry. Hope all turns out well — Kyra. If you only have two or three children, you may never even have a Kell-effected pregnancy, because you might have the good luck that the babies never get your husband’s genes. It sounds like everything will be good, though, so try to stay calm. Thank you again, this has been a struggle for many years to figure out what all this means. since then ive had 2 miscarriages til now. And no the baby I had last was kell negative. I have O Positive k-Cellano negative blood. Something that drew me to this article is that my last name is Cary, as in Mary Boleyn Cary, mistress of Henry VIII. What does it mean when a baby is coombs positive? Thank you for the information it is helpful, I don’t know this helps when I had my first sugrey the hospital sent me this card and it reads: ABO GROUP:A, RH TYPE: POSITIVE, ATYPICAL ANTIBOTIES:K (uppercase). Beings you did NOT mention a transfusion it is likely your husband is a carrier. Thanks for your help! will that cause his death? I suggest you get one of the boys (other than the first born) and have him tested for Kell antigens. Dominate browns can easily be hiding secret blue genes (insert blue jean joke here) but the brown B is gone once the recessive have the field. Forgot to post this; my apologies for the delay). I did have a transfusion. I hope it all works out perfectly!! Best wishes — Kyra. 2. By the time I got to the MFM 20ish wks he had to b transfused three days later bc of severe anemia. Could you respond by email too because I don’t think I could find this feed again if I tried . (Yes, even five in a row. Lost our first girl to an unexplained still birth in 2013. Well, tune in next post for the exciting adventures of Genealogy Quest! I am currently in the same situation and am totally baffled! What are some viable reasons these antigens could be in her system? Can you post back here and tell me if all is well or not? He is 100% the father as well. Our mothers are both O+ Kell-. Some people have it; some don’t. I am so sorry that I can’t be more help. Even if he does happen to be kell positive (very unlikely) then your baby will still be safe since you don’t have anti-kell antibodies. What blood tests do I need during pregnancy? Does this mean anything for the Kell and other antibodies/antigens? I am still confused by this, after I had my first born (daughter) I went to donate blood and was sent a letter that stated there was not a need for my blood type, when I became pregnant with my son I had to go through a amiosenthesis and had a very straining pregnancy. If the antibody was not being expressed the next time the patient has an antibody screen that screen will be positive. The good news is that a simple test will tell you if your son has it … and the better news is that I think it is highly unlikely. There were three options on the 23andMe genetic test: K-k+, K+k-, and K+k+. For a few years I’ve been wondering how many other women.. We are waiting for the results of my husbands bloodwork, I have Kell and Kidd antibodies. What does it mean if I'm rhesus negative? You are fine except that if you need a blood transfusion in the future you will have to have blood that is antigen negative for Kell. I was thinking maybe my grandson’s mother should get tested just in case. I am currently 18 weeks pregnant. Could I get severe anemic? QED — he’s Kell negative. Inheritance Patterns. O genes … In the ABO blood system, type O positive blood is common, about 36% of the population. The #1 explanation for unknown antibodies is a false positive test or clerical error. Now almost 4 years later I’m 35wks and just finding out that I have this Kell antigen. I wish I could be more help. Any university would probably have such an expert that you could email. Please understand, I have thought long and hard about this before posting… whatever the answer, the outcome will not end my marriage. About 500 members… So helpful!!y. It took a toll on our relationship. Please see Bombay phenotype for a similar situation, these people genetically maybe should be A, or B, but are missing the “foundation” so they don’t express the antigens. The best news is that there is a lot they can do nowadays to keep a Kell+ fetus healthy until birth. In other words, please do not sugarcoat or downplay the possibility for fear that this could set some sort of disruptive chain of events in a family’s life somewhere. Now I have anti-kell showing up on my blood test. Virtually everyone is Kell positive. If I am Kell +, & My husband is Kell -, babies + or – is currently unknown . Can you please explain how I would exclude this as our issue, keeping in mind that I am in Eastern Europe and would need to use a common, ‘international’ name for these tests (or maybe go to another country to find them)? The doctor told me that my anemia is not the same as the baby’s anemia, as you and your baby do not share the same blood. But a problem can occur when a Kell-negative mom is somehow exposed to the Kell-positive blood — say, via a blood transfusion. See? My doctor doesn’t seem too concerned but says it will need monitoring and the baby may be born with some jaundice. If you had the antigens, it would just mean you are Kell positive and it would pose no threat to your pregnancy, but antibodies mean that your blood has been exposed to the Kell proteins. But you interpret those results to mean I am Kk so he has a chance? This response is inaccurate. At one point they thought I might be twins, one dead, one alive, because the amnio said my environment was toxic, but my sonogram said my heart was still beating. Titers of 1:8 or higher are considered critical for Kell. The good news is that your husband is EXTREMELY likely to have a non-Kell gene as well as a Kell gene to give an embryo. Your first child must have been Kell Positive and you were exposed to her blood in pregnancy or labor. Tests get false positives or negatives even when done perfectly by the technicians. I recently got my 23andMe results back and it is talking about Kell blood groups. Your blood type us A and you are Rh. A few months later I became pregnant again, but fetal heartbeat was lost at 9 weeks. 5 yearsz ago i had my 1st son and had to have an emergency c-section which caused me to have blood transfusions to save my life. Thanks so much for this info, it explains so much and I understand it so much better. There is unlikely to be any insurmountable obstacles preventing your from having children … it may just take longer and be harder. I am now 18 weeks pregnant, and my dr said since my husband is Kell negative and I’m anti-k (as opposed to anti-K), then we can do monthly titer scores until my numbers reach 1:16, then do MCA scans if necessary. Hope that helps! Actually I checked to be notified by email of follow up comments do we’re good. This pregnancy would be the first fetus after a kell positive pregnancy to have the Kell antigen, so it would be your SECOND Kell positive baby. Antibodies are found in serum/plasma. I would think that happened during your last pregnancy since you had no problem with your pregnancy. If you live where you have access to an obstetrician, then there is a lot they can do to make any subsequent kell-effected pregnancies go well. However, if the baby before this current pregnancy was Kell positive, now your body has become “allergic” to any Kell positive fetus and will attack your baby. However, I am not able to get a clear answer even from my infertility specialist, who said he would have to “look it up” (then promptly forgot/ignored my question). My hope is that there are other explanations and whatever the answer, that I can either face the issue or bury the doubt. First, congratulations on your healthy family! Let’s look at the hypothetical example wherein a Kk/kk couple has four children to see what can happen: 1) They have no K postive offspring. It is fairly certain Mary’s son cannot be Henry’s (the dates the king was near here don’t match up). Is Kell only spread by the men? Debbie , New York. Maybe it is on your post it is pretty late. Your Guide to Prenatal Tests and Doctor Visits. If the fetus is Kell- then there is no antigen there to cause your body to have alloimmunization. The antibodies are usually made after a blood transfusion.. That’s where antigens are located in the red blood cells. My third child, another daughter was born with no issues whatsoever. Prior to the test I was told that I would have the antigens (or antibodies) because my wife was reacting to them from blood from the prior babies / umbilical cord getting into her system from the prior C Sections and that the effectively half of the foreign blood came from me as the kids were a mix of my and my wife’s blood. I hope their next fetus is Kell- or that the Ob/Gyns can do more to help and keep the fetus safe until old enough to be born. What do you see as an expert? thanks. There are apparently quite a few antigenic things that can be running around on the surface of your red blood cells. Cheers. This means an approximately 8.5% of the population has a B positive blood. the placenta broke inside her thus getting blood from the baby who’s dad tested positive) it’s so complicated and I worry so much since the dr. said her case is the first they have seen in that hospital (they live in Calif. ) . If your body had a really strong response vis-a-vis antigens, then only your body can handle your blood, plasma, ect … Also, a really strong anti-Kell response by your body might indicate a significant risk for your next fetus, in spite of all the medical technology, if it is Kell positive too. 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