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Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Patterns of phlebotomy blood loss and transfusions in extremely low birth weight infants
Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu1,2, David T Tanaka2, Tracy G Spears3
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Objective:
Characterize frequency and volume of blood draws and transfusions in extremely low birth weight infants in the first 10 weeks of life.
Study Design:
We included infants with a birth weight <1000 g born 23 0/7-29 6/7 weeks gestational age (GA) and with a length of stay ≥10 weeks, admitted between 2014 and 2016 to a single neonatal intensive care unit.
Results:
Of 54 infants, median (25th, 75th percentile) GA and birth weight were 25 weeks (24, 26) and 665 g (587, 822), respectively. Median number of blood draws per infant decreased from 57 (49, 65) in week 1 to 12 (8, 22) in week 10. Median volume of blood extracted was 83 mL (70, 97), and median number of blood transfusions was 8 (5, 10).
Conclusions:
This cohort experienced a high number and volume of blood draws. Draw frequency and transfusions decreased over the first 10 weeks of life.
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