Fetal Medication and Blood Therapies
Fetal medication and blood therapies are advanced prenatal interventions that make it possible to treat certain life-threatening conditions in the baby before birth. These methods, which are also effectively implemented in our clinic, are primarily used in cases where the fetus develops severe anemia (lack of red blood cells) or thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) while in the womb.
In such cases, the deficient blood product is administered directly into the umbilical cord or into the amniotic cavity. The transfused products may include:
- Whole blood
- Platelet suspension
- Immunoglobulin
Through this therapy, the risk of heart failure caused by severe fetal anemia can be significantly reduced, thereby increasing the chances of a healthy delivery.
Intrauterine Drug Administration
In some cases, fetuses may develop cardiac rhythm disorders or severe thyroid dysfunction.
For example, when fetal goiter develops due to excessive thyroid hormone production, medication can be administered directly to the fetus in utero to normalize thyroid function.
Similarly, in the treatment of fetal arrhythmias, medications can be delivered through the umbilical cord or into the amniotic fluid, allowing heart rhythm disturbances to be controlled before birth.
These intrauterine therapies have been shown to significantly improve survival rates in fetuses that develop heart failure secondary to arrhythmia.
Current Approaches and Experimental Applications
With advancing medical technology, several innovative fetal therapy techniques have begun to be applied in selected centers and a limited number of cases worldwide. However, most of these remain under clinical investigation or are procedures practiced only in specialized, high-experience units.
Examples include:
Intrauterine antiviral therapy:
Ongoing clinical trials are exploring the prenatal treatment of certain viral infections through direct fetal administration of antiviral drugs. At present, these therapies are not part of routine prenatal care, but are implemented within experimental protocols.
Prenatal interventions for congenital heart disease:
In cases of critical arterial stenosis developing in utero, balloon catheter dilation can be performed to improve the development of cardiac chambers. This highly specialized procedure is currently limited to a few advanced centers with expertise in fetal cardiac interventions.
In the near future, the wider and safer application of these procedures is expected to open new horizons in the field of fetal therapy.
For now, however, they remain advanced, high-risk procedures reserved for carefully selected cases, and should be performed only in expert referral centers with multidisciplinary fetal medicine teams.
