TRANSFUSION PRACTICES IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

Abstract

Blood transfusion plays a vital role in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and appropriate transfusion practices can prove as a boon to patient with minimal adverse reactions. Several diseases in obstetrics like, Obstetric haemorrhage, especially postpartum haemorrhage and antepartum haemorrhage, severe anaemia, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy requires immediate transfusion of blood to reduce maternal mortality. In gynaecological practice, certain conditions like broids, cervical cancer, endometrium cancer, ovarian cancer, hysterectomy requires transfusion of blood mostly to recover operative loss of blood. Written informed consent and pre-transfusion testing is very important before start of transfusion. For this purpose, role of transfusion medicine specialist is equally important e.g. from the selecting of appropriate blood and blood components to the pre-transfusion testing and antibody screening of patient's sample. Though, blood transfusion is a lifesaving process in critical conditions but it is not without side effects and risks. Therefore, some strategies have been designed to avoid blood transfusion. In conclusion, we can say that before every transfusion risk benet ratio must be kept in mind and appropriate transfusion practices should be adopted for every blood transfusion.