Obstetric intra-operative cell salvage and maternal fetal red cell contamination.

We have shown that fetal RBCs are present in the maternal circulation throughout pregnancy and that the volumes are comparable to that obtained from intra-operative salvage, with contamination amounts of up to 19 mL. At the Royal Cornwall Hospital, our experience and evidence supports offering intra-operative salvage to all women, and we have not noted an increase in antibody formation, compared to allogeneic transfusion.