Neonatal IVH - Mechanisms and management

Intra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) occurs predominantly in very low birth weight premature infants. Survivors of severe IVH frequently experience long-term consequences including major neurological deficits. Advances in neonatal and obstetric care in the last decades, have led to a steady decline in mortality and in the incidence of IVH. However, significant improvements in the survival rates small premature infants have led to an increase in the population of newborns prone to IVH. The pathogenesis of IVH is multifactorial. Prematurity of the germinal matrix, fluctuations in cerebral blood flow, hypoxic ischemic cerebral injury and developmental hemostatic abnormalities of newborns are important risk factors. The following manuscript will address the epidemiology and pathogenesis of IVH and review studies regarding potential pro-coagulant therapy.