title: Intrauterine blood transfusion: current indications and associated risks.
abstract: Fetal anemia is a serious complication in pregnancy and associated with perinatal mortality and morbidity. During 25 years of worldwide experience with intravascular intrauterine blood transfusion, a variety of indications have been described. Intrauterine transfusion (IUT) treatment is considered most successful for fetal anemia due to red cell alloimmunization. Moreover, the use of this procedure has also been reported in pregnancies with parvovirus B19 infection, fetomaternal hemorrhage and placental chorioangiomas, for example. This review focuses on the current indications of intrauterine blood transfusions. In addition, we describe the potential complications of IUT treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Irene T M
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Lindenburg
authors.forename: Inge L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: van Kamp
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oepkes
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000628:therapy; D001805:Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000628:therapy; D005331:Fetomaternal Transfusion / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000628:therapy; D054238:Perinatal Mortality; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome