What is intrauterine blood transfusion?: Intrauterine blood transfusion is a highly specialized procedure where a fetus, while still inside the uterus, is given a blood transfusion to treat severe anemia (low blood level). The goal of this procedure is to prevent stillbirth from anemia, and to prolong the pregnancy to a point where prematurity is no longer a significant risk.
How is intrauterine blood transfusion performed? Intrauterine blood transfusion is a highly complex procedure, generally performed only by a perinatologist. Ultrasound is used to visualize the umbilical cord and the point where it attaches to the placenta. A needle is then placed into the vein of the umbilical cord at this site, and, based on fetal size and blood count, a calculated volume of blood is transfused into the vein in order to restore the baby’s blood level to normal.
Who is a candidate for intrauterine blood transfusion?: The most common reason an intrauterine blood transfusion is performed is when a fetus is severely anemic due to an incompatibility with maternal blood. Because of the risks of the procedure, it is only performed at early gestational ages, when delivery is not an option because of the risks of prematurity. It can also be performed for fetal anemia caused by certain viral infections. Usually, there will have been many other tests performed to evaluate these problems before the final decision for intrauterine blood transfusion is made.
What are the risks of the procedure?: Depending on the reason for the procedure and the condition of the fetus, there may be as much as a 5% to 7% chance of some type of complication during the procedure that would make immediate delivery via cesarean section necessary, or lead to loss of the fetus by still birth. That is why this procedure is only performed if there is a high chance of losing the baby if the procedure is not done. Although these risks are fairly small, the procedure is performed in a labor and delivery unit so that immediate intervention can be instituted if a complication occurs.