What Is Fetal Blood Sampling (Cordocentesis)?
Fetal blood sampling is a prenatal diagnostic procedure based on obtaining a small amount of blood from the baby’s umbilical cord while in the womb.
The main advantage of this method is that it allows not only the detection of chromosomal abnormalities, but also the diagnosis of certain other fetal diseases.
For example, in cases of Rh incompatibility, if the baby develops anemia, this procedure can determine the severity of the anemia and, when necessary, enable intrauterine blood transfusion to treat the condition while the baby is still in the uterus.
Which Conditions Can Be Diagnosed and Treated?
Through fetal blood sampling, certain medical conditions can be both diagnosed and managed before birth.
For instance:
If the mother has hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, the fetus may develop goiter.
In such cases, a blood sample taken from the baby’s umbilical cord allows physicians to measure thyroid hormone levels and determine the stage of the condition.
If it is found that the fetal thyroid gland is underactive or overactive, a fine needle can be inserted into the amniotic sac to deliver the necessary thyroid hormone directly to the baby.
Thanks to this method, it becomes possible to achieve both early diagnosis and treatment within the womb.
