Re: Rh history

[Guest guest]

>>my Dr did a paper at some point on

>>population something or other, anyway, she said that Rh negative blood

is a

>>mutation from Basque in Spain and when the population started spreading

out

>>into Portugal and France they spread the Rh neg trait.

I'm mostly a lurker, but thought I should comment on this. Your doctor

didn't do enough research on past work. RH neg also was a trait of the

Huns, who invaded (read raped and pillaged) various parts of Europe (and

elsewhere) and spread the rh neg factor. Researchers were able to trace

higher concentrations of rh neg. in places where the Huns invaded and

lesser or no concentrations in places they didn't. Since their studies

did not include much of Asia or Africa, they considered this limited, as

yet, to Europe. I don't have the references any longer (I learned about

this in college 12 years ago.) I don't know anything about the Basque

area, but it is not unusual for a specific factor to occur simultaneously

in separate populations.

RH neg isn't that rare in the US. Nationally, 15% of the population has

rh neg blood. In Minnesota, it's about 17%...apparently higher amongst

the German and Swedish immigrants--frequently invaded by Huns). You

could check with your local Red Cross chapter to find out what the

percentages are in your area.

The really interesting thing I have discovered in my research is that

many of the problems associated with rh neg. can be reduced or eliminated

through diet. Unfortunately, the info is anecdotal rather than the result

of a study and there was no info on the Du factor (if you have the weak

Du factor, you will never develop antibodies so don't need Rhogam).

Hope this helps. Has nothing to do with breastfeeding, but thought it

might be interesting to some.

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[Guest guest]

>>I am not sure of the risks but it is made from some unsavory

ingredients. I

>>believe (and I could be wrong) That it is made from the blood (or some

other

>>body part) of the rhesus monkey. Anyone else know anything about this?

Not true at all. Rhogam is made from the blood of selected human

volunteers (as opposed to the general pool of Red Cross donators). What

is left after the blood is 'cleaned' is what is injected into RH neg.

mothers. RH does not refer to monkeys, but to a protein that is lacking

in RH neg. people. I don't have any sites, but have stumbled across one

or two that give far more detailed information on the manufacture than I

have. Despite the 'carefully selected' moniker, there is still a remote

chance of getting a blood bourne disease.

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