Centres & Specialties
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Madinah successfully performed an early therapeutic intervention for a 34-year-old woman who had experienced recurrent fetal losses over 10 years due to a severe immune condition that caused elevated maternal antibody levels threatening the fetus. The treatment helped limit their impact on the fetus, helping her welcome a baby after years of waiting.
The condition was caused by maternal Anti-Kell antibodies, which can cross the placenta and affect the fetus’s red blood cells. This may lead to severe anemia and, in advanced cases, life-threatening complications.
A multidisciplinary team developed a treatment plan that started with plasma exchange sessions to reduce the level of antibodies in the mother’s blood. This was followed by medication and close weekly monitoring of the fetus. The approach helped prevent the abnormal fluid buildup that had occurred in her previous pregnancies and delayed the onset of severe anemia until the 28th week of pregnancy.
As the pregnancy progressed, the team completed the treatment plan by performing two intrauterine blood transfusions for the fetus, in collaboration with colleagues at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. Later, changes in the fetal heartbeat required an emergency cesarean section, resulting in the birth of a baby boy weighing around 1.65 kilograms.
Dr. Osama Alharbi, Consultant, Maternal Fetal Medicine at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, said that helping the pregnancy reach a more advanced stage gave the team more options to manage the fetus’s condition, either through treatment inside the womb or delivery when needed. This was in contrast to the patient’s previous pregnancies, which had deteriorated at an early stage.
After birth, the baby received specialized neonatal care, including phototherapy and transfusions of blood and blood products according to his clinical condition. He was later discharged home and continues to receive regular follow-up care. He is currently achieving the expected growth and developmental milestones, with no reported complications.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2026. It was also recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East for 2026, according to Brand Finance, and listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals, World’s Best Smart Hospitals, and World’s Best Specialized Hospitals for 2026.