Massive fetomaternal hemorrhage treated with serial combined intravascular and intraperitoneal fetal transfusions.
Montgomery, Lynn D. MD; Belfort, Michael A. MD; Adam, Karolina MD.
[Miscellaneous]
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
173(1):234-235, July 1995.
(Format: HTML)
One of the many causes of fetal hydrops is fetomaternal hemorrhage. This report presents a pregnancy with fetomaternal hemorrhage that was treated with serial combined intravascular and intraperitoneal fetal transfusions, resulting in a good outcome. A 26- year-old woman seen for ultrasonographic evaluation was found to have a fetus with hydrops fetalis. Fetal blood sampling demonstrated severe fetal anemia (hematocrit 16.4%). The initial Kleihauer-Betke test result on maternal blood was 6% fetal cells. The fetus was transfused five times over a 24-day period by means of a combined intravascular and intraperitoneal route. The fetus also received one platelet transfusion for thrombocytopenia. The pregnancy resulted in a good fetal outcome without the need for postpartum transfusion. This case represents successful treatment of fetal anemia and nonimmune hydrops with a serial combined intravascular and intraperitoneal transfusion technique. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1995;173:234-5.)
Key words: Fetomaternal hemorrhage, fetal transfusion.
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