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Neonatal complications and risk of intraventricular-periventricular hemorrhage
B Ferrari1, G Tonni, R Luzietti
1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Parma, University School of Medicine.
Abstract:
We have prospectively studied 117 premature infants < or = 1500 gm (VLBW) to assess the relationship between maternal, obstetric, fetal and newborn complications and the grade of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PVH-IVH). PVH-IVH was documented by cranial ultrasonography in 41% of surviving neonates. 83% of infants with PVH-IVH grade I-II survived as compared to the 39% of infants with PVH-IVH grade III-IV (p < .001). Maternal and obstetric complications were not associated with PVH-IVH (NS). Newborn respiratory complications (p < .004) and major infections (p < .02) are independent variables associated with PVH-IVH. Immaturity at delivery, metabolic acidosis, respiratory distress syndrome and recurrent apnea are important mechanisms of cerebral injury contributing to severity of PVH-IVH.