Abstract
Prenatal plasma concentrations of erythropoietin in fetuses with Rh disease should contribute information to the clinical course and therapeutic control of this disease. Fetal plasma erythropoietin (Epo) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations were measured in 145 umbilical venous blood samples of 30 fetuses with Rh disease at 20 to 38 weeks' gestation. Both Epo and Hb concentrations were independent of the gestational age in red blood cell-isoimmunised pregnancies. The Hb concentration correlated significantly with Epo concentration without intrauterine transfusion (IUT) (r = -0.519, p = 0.005) and after IUT (i = -0.212, p = 0.01). A haemoglobin deficit of 3 g/dl at 20 weeks' gestation increased to 6 g/dl at 38 weeks' gestation in spite of IUT (p = -0.354, p < 0.001). Even with IUT, Epo concentrations increase with gestational age during these pregnancies. This is due to increasing Hb deficits indicating fetal hypoxia which might be prevented by increasing volumes of transfusion.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Ultraschall in der Medizin (Stuttgart, Germany : 1980)
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
