Fetal anaemia: diagnosis and management

Abstract Fetal anaemia has been known for many years as a dangerous complication of pregnancy. Its most common causes are maternal alloimmunization and parvovirus B19 infection, although it can be associated many different pathological conditions including fetal aneuploidies, vascular tumors and arteriovenous malformations of the fetus or placenta, and inherited conditions such as alpha-thalassemia or genetic metabolic disorders. Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of the peak velocity of systolic blood flow in the middle cerebral artery for the diagnosis of fetal anaemia, and intravascular intrauterine transfusion for its treatment, are the current practice standards. Live birth rates as high as 95% have been reported in recent years. The additional role of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, and the long term consequences of the condition, are the subject of active ongoing research.