title: Fetomaternal haemorrhage discovered after trauma and treated by fetal intravascular transfusion.
abstract: Fetomaternal haemorrhage can occur spontaneously, or after abdominal trauma. We describe a case of fetomaternal haemorrhage diagnosed at 27 weeks gestation after blunt trauma. The Kleihauer-Betke smear on admission and during the first week was positive, ranging between 3% and 5%. Cordocentesis revealed a fetal haemoglobin of 8.8 gm/dl. An intravascular fetal transfusion was performed. The weeks until delivery and the neonatal period were unremarkable. Fetal anaemia can be a serious complication of fetomaternal haemorrhage, however, intravascular fetal transfusion is an effective treatment when this occurs. The Kleihauer-Betke test should be performed in every patient with a history of abdominal trauma during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lipitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Achiron
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horoshovski
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rotstein
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001805:Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine; D005260:Female; D005331:Fetomaternal Transfusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*