Noida: A baby boy survived after undergoing five blood transfusions while still inside his mother’s womb at a Noida hospital, giving a Delhi couple their first successful pregnancy after losing two babies to complications caused by Rh isoimmunisation. Doctors say it’s a rare, potentially life-threatening condition during pregnancy.Rh isoimmunisation occurs when a mother with the blood group of Rh-negative carries an Rh-positive baby. Her husband also has Rh-positive blood. “In such pregnancies, the foetus may inherit the father’s Rh-positive blood type. If foetal blood cells enter the mother’s bloodstream, usually during childbirth, the mother’s immune system may produce antibodies against them. In subsequent pregnancies, these antibodies can cross the placenta and destroy the baby’s red blood cells, leading to severe foetal anaemia,” said Dr Neha Gupta, senior consultant of foetal medicine and medical genetics at Kailash Hospital.The 29-year-old woman from Mayur Vihar was diagnosed with severe foetal anaemia at 19 weeks of pregnancy. She was admitted to Kailash Hospital where doctors performed five intrauterine blood transfusions through the baby’s umbilical vein over the course of the pregnancy, allowing it to continue until 34 weeks. The baby was delivered prematurely, spent five days in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, but is now three-months-old and healthy.According to doctors, the mother’s first baby died around the time of delivery at another hospital because she did not receive the recommended anti-D immunoglobulin. “During her second pregnancy, the foetus developed hydrops fetalis — a condition in which excessive fluid accumulates in the body due to severe anaemia — and the pregnancy ended at around 32 weeks,” said Dr Gupta.During her third pregnancy, she was monitored closely from the beginning and severe foetal anaemia was detected at around 19 weeks. The first intrauterine transfusion was carried out on Dec 29, 2025, followed by four more transfusions at carefully planned intervals.“The procedure involved transfusing irradiated O-negative donor blood directly into the foetus through the umbilical vein while still inside the womb. The intervention corrected the anaemia and reduced the risk of heart failure and foetal death,” the doctor added.After continuous monitoring, the baby was delivered safely at 34 weeks and discharged after five days in the NICU. He continues to be under regular paediatric follow-up.“Rh isoimmunisation can have devastating consequences if it is not identified and managed at the right time, particularly in women with a history of previous pregnancy losses. With early diagnosis, close foetal surveillance and timely intrauterine transfusions, many babies who would otherwise be at extremely high risk can be safely carried through pregnancy. Equally important is ensuring that Rh-negative mothers receive anti-D immunoglobulin at the appropriate time, as this simple preventive measure can significantly reduce the risk of Rh sensitisation in future pregnancies,” said Dr Gupta.
