INTRA-UTERINE TRANSFUSION: FETAL OUTCOME AND COMPLICATIONS

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Abstract
One hundred and ten intra-uterine transfusions (IUT) were performed on 73 fetuses selected primarily on the basis of serial amniotic fluid analyses at the 450 mµ peak. In support of IUT for the current pregnancy, all but five of the mothers had a history of previous stillbirths and infants severely affected by hemolytic disease of the newborn. Eighteen (2 hydropic and 16 nonhydropic) of the 73 fetuses survived. The extremely poor outcome of those who exhibited excessive ascitic fluid at the time of paracentesis would lead us to believe that IUT is of questionable value after the development of hydrops fetalis. The survival rate of nonhydropic fetuses was better than 50% when slow blood infusion and the use of smaller blood volumes was initiated. One of the 16 nonhydropic infants suffered severe respiratory depression after birth, which resulted in cerebral damage. No neurological, developmental, or immunological aberrations were observed in the remaining 15 survivors after 4 years of follow-up.
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