Autologous blood storage in obstetrics

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Transfusion Medicine
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Autologous transfusion, using a patient's own blood, is a safe practice for scheduled surgeries.
• Obstetric applications of autologous transfusion programs are not well-established.
• Pregnant individuals with potential complications may benefit from strategies to reduce homologous blood transfusion risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of autologous blood donation in pregnant women.
• To assess the impact of phlebotomy on maternal hemodynamics and fetal well-being.
• To determine the efficacy of autologous transfusion in reducing homologous blood use in obstetric patients.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 30 pregnant women with placenta previa or other complications.
• Conducted 55 phlebotomies for autologous blood collection between 13 and 40 weeks of gestation.
• Monitored maternal vital signs and utilized electronic fetal monitoring during procedures.

Main Results:

• Minimal changes observed in maternal diastolic blood pressure and pulse.
• Electronic fetal monitoring tracings remained normal in procedures where used.
• Mild donor reactions occurred in 4% of phlebotomies, comparable to nonpregnant donors.
• Autologous blood transfusions were administered to 15 patients, avoiding homologous transfusion in 86.7% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Autologous blood collection is safe and well-tolerated in selected pregnant women.
• This approach effectively reduces the reliance on homologous blood transfusions in obstetric care.
• Autologous transfusion programs can be safely integrated into obstetric practice for high-risk pregnancies.