Intrauterine Transfusions in FHD: When and How?

Intrauterine fetal blood transfusions still remain the gold standard of prenatal therapy in severe cases of fetal hemolytic disease due to mother-fetus immunization. Middle cerebral artery-peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) measurements plays the most important role in diagnosing the disease. A value of MCA-PSV >1.5 allows us to diagnose severe or moderate anemia and prompts us to treat the patient. The time of subsequent transfusions is estimated by the hemoglobin level directly after the transfusion and the fact that the concentration of fetal hemoglobin in blood decreases at a rate of 0.3 g% per day. Even though effective, these procedures carry with them major risks and that is why prophylaxis is essential.

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