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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffCordocentesis is used primarily to detect and treat blood conditions, such as fetal anemia — a lack of healthy red blood cells in a developing baby.
If you have an infection, cordocentesis might be used to determine whether the baby has the infection, too.
If necessary, cordocentesis can be used to deliver blood transfusions and medication to the baby through the umbilical cord.
References
- Ghidini A. Fetal blood sampling. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Grace D, et al. Training for percutaneous umbilical blood sampling during Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship in the United States. Prenatal Diagnosis. 2009;29:790.
- Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=46. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Collins SL, et al. Prenatal diagnosis: Types and techniques. Early Human Development. 2012;88:3.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 10, 2012.
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