Anemia in ihe newborn can result from many causes. Fetomaternal transfusion is one of them and occurs commonly during pregnancy. It can range from small hemorrhage leading to mild anemia to massive amount with circulatory collapse in the neonate. Chronic fetomaternal transfusion leads to anemia or occasionally hydrops fetails. It is not an emergency as is an acute hemorrhage. We report a case w...

BACKGROUND Fetomaternal hemorrhage is a rare cause of fetal anemia and hydrops fetalis. Early and severe fetomaternal hemorrhage may benefit from in utero transfusion(s); however, hemorrhage rate is unpredictable, and reliable criteria are needed to identify recurrent anemia. CASE Fetal hydrops due to massive fetomaternal hemorrhage was diagnosed at 29 weeks. After the first in utero transfus...

Fetomaternal haemorrhage was studied after 68 consecutive fetal intravascular transfusions performed in 20 patients with Rh isoimmunisation. alpha Fetoprotein concentration was assayed in maternal blood taken before, and immediately after each transfusion and three and 24 hours later. An increase of 50% or more in the concentration in any of the samples after transfusion was considered to indic...

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE When massive fetomaternal hemorrhage is diagnosed in the early third trimester of pregnancy, serial fetal intravascular transfusion may be an alternative to immediate delivery.

A case of pregnancy complicated by a placental hemangioma is presented. This was unassociated with any of the complications commonly coexistant with this tumor, and presented with fetal anemia due to a fetomaternal transfusion.

An inexpensive and simple technique for assessing fetomaternal bleeds in cases of Rh(D) incompatibility is described. The method is unlikely to replace the acid elution technique, but it may be of use in cases where results are in doubt owing to the presence of F cells of maternal origin.