Objective: To determine the sensorineural outcome at 2 years of age in a complete cohort of survivors of fetal intravascular transfusions. of age, corrected for prematurity where appropriate, the survivors had a psychological assessment, including the mental developmental index of the Bayley scales, and a standardized neurodevelopmental examination. Results: Only one transfused child had a severe sensorineural disability, with severe developmental delay and multiple minor motor seizures. Another child was moderately disabled with spastic hemiplegia. In neither case were complications of an intravascular transfusion the likely explanation for the disability. Only one other child had a mental developmental index in the suspect range. The remaining 35 children (92.1%) had no sensorineural disability. The overall rate of sensorineural impairments and disabilities was lower in the group transfused than in previous reports of survivors of intraperitoneal transfusions. The mean mental developmental index was significantly higher in the transfused group than in a control group of normal birth weight children. Conclusion: Children who survive fetal intravascular transfusions compare favorably not only with other highrisk survivors, but also with low-risk children. http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/6/931?ck=nck

Erythroblastosis fetalis refers to two potentially disabling or fatal blood disorders in infants: Rh incompatibility disease and ABO incompatibility disease. Either disease may be apparent before birth and can cause fetal death in some cases. The disorder is caused by incompatibility between a mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood. Because of the incompatibility, the mother's immune system may launch an immune response against the baby's red blood cells. As a result, the baby's blood cells are destroyed, and the baby may suffer severe anemia (deficiency in red blood cells), brain damage, or death. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/erythroblastosis_fetalis.jsp