Intrauterine Fetal Transfusions Used In Cases of Erythroblastosis Fetalis

Intrauterine transfusion of packed blood cells by the intraperitoneal route to the fetus with severe erythroblastosis may prolong fetal life to a viable maturity and could save up to 75% of these fetuses in the future, two physicians attending the meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics toldThe Journal. A. W. Liley, MD, Postgraduate School of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Auckland, New Zealand, and John M. Bowman, MD, University of Manitoba and clinical director, Rh Laboratory, Winnipeg General Hospital, Manitoba, Canada, reported on clinical experience with fetal transfusions and amniocentesis at a panel on intrauterine diagnosis and treatment. "Technically successful transfusions have been done without maternal complications in all of 36 cases in which we have tried the procedure," Liley said. Fetal transfusion has been developed for severely anemic babies who would die before a minimum viable maturity was reached and who are too premature to deliver," he