Address of Corresponding Author

Fetal Diagn Ther 2006;21:22-25 (DOI: 10.1159/000089043)

  Key Words

• Middle cerebral artery
• Fetal Doppler
• Fetal anemia
• Alloimmunization
• Rhesus disease
• Intrauterine transfusion

  Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the optimal interval between middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler measurements when monitoring pregnancies complicated by red cell alloimmunization. Methods: Thirty-nine fetal blood samplings (FBS) performed on 24 pregnant women with red blood cell alloimmunization followed up using both MCA peak systolic velocity and time-averaged mean velocity measurements on weekly basis. Results: In total, 65.5 and 37.5% of women with moderate or severe fetal anemia had abnormal MCA Doppler values 1 and 2 weeks, respectively, before FBS was performed. Conclusions: A weekly assessment of women at risk for fetal anemia is optimal in most of the cases even though 35.5% of cases of moderate or severe fetal anemia are expected to have normal Doppler measurements the week before the decision of doing an FBS is made.

Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Jose L. Bartha, Prof. of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
University Hospital 'Puerta del Mar', Avenida Ana de Viya 21
ES-11009 Cádiz (Spain)
Tel. +34 636 020927, Fax +34 956 876134, E-Mail joseluis.bartha@uca.es

  Article Information

Received: May 12, 2004
Accepted after revision: November 10, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 12