Intrauterine Fetal Transfusion
“Intrauterine transfusion is a procedure in which red blood cells from a donor are injected into the fetus.
Intrauterine transfusion may be recommended when a fetus has anemia (low red blood cell count). Fetal anemia may be caused by:
- Rh incompatibility: When the mother and fetus have different blood types, the antibodies in the mother’s blood may destroy blood cells in the fetus
- Some viral infections e.g. Parvovirus B19 viral infection in the mother
- Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
Goals of intrauterine transfusion are to prevent or treat fetal heart failure (hydrops), which can be caused by anemia, and to allow the pregnancy to continue so the baby can be more developed when it is born.” Read More