An Audit of Outcome in Intravascular Transfusions Using the Intrahepatic Portion of the Fetal Umbilical Vein Compared to Cordocentesis

Introduction: Maternal red cell alloimmunization is a potential cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The outcome of severe disease has been transformed by the use of in-utero and particularly, fetal intravascular transfusion. In the majority of instances this is performed by cordocentesis. However, this cohort study represents the experience in a large tertiary referral centre in performing fetal intravascular transfusions via the intrahepatic vein (IHV). Methods: Over an 8-year period, 1997–2004, 221 in-utero transfusions (IUT) were performed for rhesus disease in 66 pregnancies. 86% had severe fetal anaemia caused by anti-D, 10.6% by anti-Kell and 3.4% by anti-c. The median maternal age of the cohort was 31 years (range 19–43). The median gestation at initial IUT was 25 weeks (interquartile range (IQR) 23–29 weeks). Results: A median number of three IUT were performed in each fetus (IQR 2–5) with a median haemoglobin at first fetal blood sampling of 7.3 g% (IQR 4.6–8.8 g%) (73% ≤5 SD and 27% ≤2 SD). Of the total intravascular transfusions, 170 were performed via the IHV (71.7%), 33 via cordocentesis (13.9%) and 1 by intracardiac puncture (0.5%). There were ‘transient’ bradycardias complicating 4.1% of all transfusions and amniorrhexis following 1.4%. 92% of babies were live born at a median gestation of 34 weeks (range 21–38) with a birth weight centile of 50 (range 3–90). There was no significant difference in intravascular transfusion complication rate when the procedure was performed via the IHV (7.6%) as compared to cord root puncture (3.0%) (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.47). Conclusion: IUT performed by fetal IHV puncture is safe and carries no excess morbidity when performed for severe rhesus disease.