Withdrawal of a sample of fetal blood from the umbilical cord with a needle inserted through the abdominal and uterine walls into the amniotic sac. Ultrasonic guidance is used to select a puncture site near the insertion of the placenta.
The process of administering a blood transfusion to a developing fetus is known as intrauterine transfusion. This procedure entails the careful insertion of a slender needle through the abdomen of a pregnant woman, guided by ultrasound imaging, and into the umbilical cord to deliver the transfusion.