Fetal anaemia: diagnosis and management

Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2008 Feb;22(1):15-29. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2007.08.005. Epub 2007 Oct 1.

Abstract

Fetal anaemia can by treated by in-utero therapy, which results in a significant improvement in perinatal outcome. The important causes of fetal anaemia are rhesus alloimmunisation, kell alloimmunisation and parvovirus infection. At-risk pregnancies require serial monitoring to ensure timely intervention with intrauterine transfusion. Non-invasive testing with middle cerebral artery Doppler is becoming the monitoring modality of choice.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anemia / diagnosis*
  • Anemia / etiology
  • Anemia / therapy*
  • Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine / methods
  • Female
  • Fetal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Fetal Diseases / etiology
  • Fetal Diseases / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Kell Blood-Group System / immunology
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Parvoviridae Infections / complications
  • Parvoviridae Infections / diagnosis
  • Parvovirus B19, Human
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / methods
  • Rh Isoimmunization / complications
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal / methods

Substances

  • Kell Blood-Group System