Reassuring fetal middle cerebral artery doppler velocimetry in alloimmunised pregnancies: neonatal outcomes without invasive procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the neonatal outcome in red blood cell alloimmunised pregnancies at increased risk of fetal anaemia where invasive testing was avoided based on reassuring middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler velocity results.


METHODS
We included 28 alloimmunised pregnant women at significant risk of fetal or neonatal anaemia who did not have invasive testing because of reassuring MCA Doppler velocimetry. Women requiring invasive testing or intrauterine transfusion were excluded. Outcome measures were admission to neonatal intensive care unit, cord haemoglobin and bilirubin levels and neonatal therapy.


RESULTS
Ten neonates (36%) were anaemic at birth while 18 (64%) had normal haemoglobin. Seven neonates (25%) did not require any form of neonatal therapy, 10 (36%) had phototherapy only, 7 (25%) required exchange transfusions and 4 (14%) top-up transfusions. There were no treatment-related complications. Mean cord haemoglobin was 13.9 g/dl (range 7-18.9) and mean bilirubin was 84.1 micromol/l (range 29-192).


CONCLUSIONS
Avoiding invasive procedures in pregnancies at risk of fetal anaemia by relying on reassuring MCA Doppler velocimetry did not result in life-threatening fetal or neonatal morbidities. The extent of neonatal therapy was acceptable. The routine use of this test can lead to less unnecessary invasive procedures in at-risk fetuses.
Abdel-Fattah
Sherif A
SA
Fetal Medicine Research Unit, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. sherif.abdel-fattah@bristol.ac.uk
Shefras
Julia
J
Kyle
Phillipa M
PM
Cairns
Pamela
P
Hunter
Alyson
A
Soothill
Peter W
PW
D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*