What is an intrauterine transfusion

It is as scary as it may sound. Basically it is an unborn baby having a blood transfusion prior to birth. This is done only when needed, a baby must show signs of severe anaemia before an IUT will be performed as there are many risks and even though the benefits far outweigh the risks no one wants to risk the health of a baby who isn't ill.

The follow are the answers to some of the questions i have been asked since having my IUT, hopefully these answers will help some people understand a little bit better and also give some insight to anyone who may be facing an IUT.

Is it like an amnio?
For me the only thing similar to it being like an amnio is that there was a big old needle going through my pregnant tummy. Unlike an amnio the needle did not go into the amniotic fluid, instead it went through the placenta into the umbilical cord.

Did it hurt
The first one did not hurt, i was given a cocktail of drugs to sedate me prior to the procedure. I was given a combination of pethidine, temazepan, phenergan and something else i cant remember the name of. I was also given a drug to prevent uterine contractions and prior to the big needle going in i was given a local anaesthetic into my tummy as well. The first IUT i was blissfully unaware of it all, i basically closed my eyes and relaxed.

The second one was a different story. I had the exact same drugs and i felt every little bit of the procedure. My Dr said that it was probably due to anxiety that they didnt work. But yes in that instance it was very painful. My blood pressure shot up and i was covered in sweat.

Did the baby move?
No, once they positioned the needle and drew out some of her blood to test her Hb and a few other things Riley was given a sedative called pancuronium. This generally keeps the baby asleep for around 3-4 hours. That is a very scary time because you do not feel anything, the usual reassuring kicks are no longer there and all you can do is watch the CTG machine to know that all is ok in there.


Now to put it all together. You are sedated and the needle is guided into position via ultrasound, the ultrasound continues for the entire procedure. A small amount of fetal blood is taken to check the fetal Hb etc. The pathology lab is on standby for the bloods as the results need to be relayed back ASAP. At this stage the baby is given its sedative. Blood is slowly transfused into the baby, all the time both the Dr and his assistant are watching to make sure the blood is going into the right place. Apparently you can see little bubbles as it goes in, i chose not to look at the u/s screen. The babys heart rate is constantly monitored for any significant changes and the pressure in the cord is also monitored. If at any stage the baby shows signs that he/she isnt happy the procedure is stopped and if need baby the baby will be delivered by emergency c/s. Although most babys do pick back up if the amount of blood transfused at a time is reduced or the needle is removed. Riley at one stage during the second IUT was not happy so the transfusion was slowed down and the amount each time was reduced.

At the end of the procedure, they take another small amount of blood from the baby to make sure that the RBC have gone to the right place and so they have a final Hb and crit level for the baby. All going well, these should now be back into a more normal range. The new levels can also help the Dr's predict when they may need to repeat the procedure.

According to the text books, an IUT is meant to last for anywhere between 2-4 weeks depending on how aggressive the antibodies are. My antibodies were very aggressive, giving us just 2 weeks exactly between transfusions.

I think i may have covered everything, i hope i have but please feel free to post if you have any further questions and if i think of anything else to add i will be sure to update this post