Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling: current trends and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To report our contemporary experience with PUBS, including indications and complications, stratified by the presence of hydrops fetalis. STUDY DESIGN: All PUBS performed from 1988 to 2013 at a single tertiary care center were identified using a comprehensive ultrasound database. We recorded patient demographics, relevant obstetric, fetal and neonatal data, indication for and success of PUBS and any complications. Data were analyzed using SAS, version 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). RESULTS: 455 PUBS were performed on 208 pregnant women, 97.8% of which were successful. The average gestational age at the time of PUBS was 26.7 weeks (SD 5.1 weeks, range 17.5-41.3 weeks). Indications were available for 441: 245 (55.6%) isoimmunization, 77 (17.5%) non-immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF), 98 (22.2%) chromosomal diagnosis, and 21 (4.8%) other indications. Isoimmunization was a less common indication for PUBS in 2008-2013 as compared to 1988-1992 (51.7% vs 66.2%, p=0.07). Amongst PUBS performed in the setting of hydrops, isoimmunization was much less common in the later time period (61.1% vs 0%, respectively; p<0.01). The procedure complication rate (bradycardia or fetal demise at procedure) of 2.5% was stable over the study period and was most common with NIHF (2.0% without hydrops, 0% with immune hydrops and 6.3% with NIHF; p=0.04). Of the 208 women with a PUBS performed, 74 had more than one PUBS procedure (mean 2.2, max 18). Transfusions were performed in 233 of the 455 (51.2%). Overall, 10.2% of the pregnancies had an intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) within 2 weeks of the procedure, which was most common in pregnancies with NIHF (3.2% without hydrops, 9.1% with immune hydrops and 31.7% with NIHF; p<0.01). The IUFD rate was 60% (3/5) in fetuses with parvovirus-mediated NIHF. CONCLUSIONS: PUBS has a high likelihood of success with a relatively low complication rate. The complication rate is highest in pregnancies with NIHF, and these pregnancies are also at a significantly higher risk of IUFD, particularly those patients with parvovirus-mediated NIHF. Our findings can be used when counseling patients who are considering PUBS for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Aportación del Doppler de la arteria cerebral media y del genotipado RHD fetal en el manejo de la isoinmunización / Contribution of middle cerebral artery Doppler and fetal RHD genotype in the management of alloimmunization

Objetivo. Evaluar la aplicación clínica de los métodos no invasivos en el manejo de la isoinmunización, durante el período de 2006-2010. Sujetos y métodos. Se estudiaron 70 gestaciones con riesgo de anemia fetal en las que se realizó el estudio Doppler de la velocidad sistólica de la arteria cerebral media (VS-ACM). Se comparó la eficacia de la VS-ACM después de una, 2 o 3 transfusiones intrauterinas. El genotipado fetal RHD en sangre materna se realizó en las gestaciones seguidas en nuestro centro. Resultados. Se practicó cordocentesis en 22 de gestaciones y en 20 se practicó transfusión intrauterina. Las tasas de detección y de falsos positivos de la VS-ACM en la predicción de anemia fetal moderada o severa fueron del 89 y el 15% en gestaciones sin transfusión previa, del 100 y el 41% en los casos con una transfusión previa y del 40 y el 24% cuando se practicaron más de una transfusión. Conclusiones. La VS-ACM mantiene una sensibilidad alta en una transfusión previa aunque su especificidad disminuye (AU)

Objective. To assess the clinical application of non-invasive methods in the management of alloimmunization from 2006 to 2010. Subjects and methods. Seventy pregnancies with risk of fetal anemia were studied by fetal middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV). The efficacy of MCA-PSV was compared between the first, second and third transfusions. Prenatal testing of fetal RHD blood group using maternal blood was performed in pregnancies followed-up in our center. Results. Fetal blood sampling was performed in 22 pregnancies; of these, fetal transfusion was carried out in 20. Detection rates and the false-positive rate of MCA-PSV in the prediction of severe or moderate fetal anemia were 89% and 15% in pregnancies with no previous transfusions, 100% and 41% in patients with one previous transfusion, and 40% and 24% when more than one transfusion was performed. Conclusion. MCA-PSV has high sensitivity when there is one previous fetal transfusion but its specificity is lower (AU)

Transfusión intrauterina. Nuestra experiencia en el Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil de Canarias / Intrauterine transfusion. Experience in Canaries University Hospital Maternity Ward

Objetivo. evaluar los casos de transfusión intravascular intrauterina por anemia fetal realizados en la Unidad de Medicina Fetal del Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil de Canarias. Material y método. estudio descriptivo y prospectivo de los casos diagnosticados de anemia fetal y a los que posteriormente se sometió a transfusión intravascular intrauterina en el período comprendido entre mayo de 2007 y junio de 2009. Resultados. durante ese período se diagnosticaron 7 casos de anemia fetal: 4 de anemia fetal inmune y 3 no inmune. En 2 casos los padres no autorizaron la transfusión. Se realizaron un total de 8 transfusiones intravasculares a los 5 casos restantes, y a 2 de éstos se realizaron transfusiones de forma repetida. Conclusiones. la transfusión intravascular es el método de elección para el tratamiento de la anemia fetal en nuestro medio. Tras iniciarse en el año 2007 el uso de este tratamiento, se ha podido realizar en todos los casos en que se encontraba indicado(AU)

Objectives. to present intrauterine intravascular transfusions cases performed for fetal anaemia in Fetal Medicine Unit of Canaries University Hospital Maternity Ward. Material and method. prospective descriptive study of cases diagnosed of fetal anaemia that were treated with intrauterine transfusion from may 2007 to June 2009. Results. during this period seven cases of fetal anaemia were diagnosed. Four isoimmunization-anaemia and three of non-immune anaemia. Eight intrauterine transfusions were performed in five of cases (in two cases repeated transfusion was required). Two cases did not allow transfusion. Conclusion. blood transfusion through umbilical cord seems to be the best option for fetal anaemia treatment. After first intrauterine transfusion in 2007, all indicated cases were carried out(AU)

Predicción de anemia fetal por isoinmunización tras transfusiones intrauterinas. Revisión de los casos tratados en nuestra unidad / Prediction of fetal anemia in red blood cell alloimmunization after intrauterine transfusions. Review of the cases treated in our unit

Objetivo. Evaluar las transfusiones de sangre intrauterinas realizadas en fetos con anemia por isoinmunización a Rh en nuestra unidad y la sensibilidad del estudio con Doppler de la arteria cerebral media para predecir anemia fetal tras la primera transfusión. Material y métodos. Se realizaron 53 transfusiones de sangre intrauterinas en 15 pacientes afectados por isoinmunización a Rh. Se analizan las características de los casos y la capacidad del estudio Doppler de la arteria cerebral media como factor predictivo de anemia fetal. Resultados. La tasa de detección de anemia fetal de la velocidad sistólica pico de la arteria cerebral media fue del 85% tras la primera transfusión y del 72% tras la segunda y sucesivas, no se detectaron falsos positivos de la prueba en nuestra serie. Conclusiones. La valoración Doppler de la arteria cerebral media como predictor de anemia fetal presenta menor tasa de detección tras sucesivas transfusiones sanguíneas (AU)

Objetive. Evaluate the intrauterine blood transfusions performed in fetuses with anemia due to red blood cell alloimmunization in our unit and the detection rate of the middle cerebral artery Doppler to predict anemia after the first transfusion. Material and methods. Ee performed 53 intrauterine blood transfusions in 15 patients with red blood cell alloimmunization. We analyze the characteristics of the cases and the value of the middle cerebral artery Doppler to predict fetal anemia. Results. The detection rate of fetal anemia with the peak systolic velocity Doppler in the middle cerebral artery was 85% after the first transfusion and 72% after the second or more. There were no false positive results of the test in our series. Conclusions. Doppler evaluation of the middle cerebral artery as predictor of fetal anemia has a lower detection rate after consecutive transfusions (AU)

[Invasive prenatal diagnosis in the Netherlands, 1991-2000: number of procedures, indications and abnormal results detected]. / Invasieve prenatale diagnostiek in Nederland, 1991-2000: aantallen ingrepen, indicaties, en gevonden afwijkingen.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of invasive prenatal diagnosis in the Netherlands during the period 1991-2000 and to analyse potential trends. DESIGN: Retrospective. METHOD: The annual results from all 13 Dutch centres for invasive prenatal diagnosis over the period 1991-2000 were combined and described, with particular emphasis on indications, number and type of invasive procedures, and number and type of abnormal results. RESULTS: The percentage of pregnancies in which invasive prenatal diagnostics were carried out increased from 5% in 1991 to 6% in 1996 and remained at the same level until 2000. 'Maternal age' was the main reason for prenatal testing (69.2-73.3% of procedures). However, the number of pregnant women aged 36 or over increased by 69.9%. An abnormal result was found in an average of 4.7% of procedures, rising from 3.6% in 1991 to 5.4% in 2000. In 70.8% of cases with abnormal results, the pregnancy was terminated. Important trends were the relative decrease of cordocentesis (-82%) and chorionic villi biopsy (-18%) in favour of amniocentesis (+48%), and a strong decrease in the number of amniocentesis procedures on indication of increased risk of neural tube defect. CONCLUSION: The total number of invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures remained stable. However, there was an important decrease in the percentage of pregnant women aged 36 or over who underwent invasive prenatal diagnosis without previous prenatal screening.