Fetal abnormalities: diagnosis or treatment with percutaneous umbilical blood sampling under continuous US guidance.

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling has become an important tool in maternal-fetal medicine and allows direct access to fetal blood. In 52 patients, 100 successful consecutive blood sampling procedures were done for a variety of indications, including 20 intravascular intrauterine fetal transfusions for isoimmune disease. Indications, technique, and complications in this series of percutaneous umbilical blood sampling procedures are described.