The bleeding newborn: A review of presentation, diagnosis, and management

Julie Jaffray; Guy Young; Richard H Ko

doi:10.1016/j.siny.2015.12.002

The bleeding newborn: A review of presentation, diagnosis, and management

Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2016 Feb;21(1):44-9. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2015.12.002. Epub 2016 Jan 6.

Authors

Julie Jaffray¹, Guy Young¹, Richard H Ko²

Affiliations

¹ Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
² Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 26778526
DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2015.12.002

Abstract

The neonatal hemostatic system is continuously developing with rapidly changing concentrations of many coagulation proteins. Thus, determining the etiology of bleeding in a newborn has additional challenges beyond those seen in older children or adults. Bleeding can be seen in both well and sick newborns due to congenital causes, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease, and acquired causes, such as liver failure or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Traditional coagulation testing should be interpreted with caution and with the help of a hematologist, if possible, due to the greatly different normal ranges between neonates as compared with older children and adults. However, despite these challenges, both clinical and laboratory clues can guide physicians appropriately to diagnose and treat the bleeding newborn.

Keywords: Hemorrhage; Hemostasis; Infant; Newborn.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Blood Coagulation Tests
Hematologic Diseases / complications
Hematologic Diseases / diagnosis*
Hematologic Diseases / therapy
Hemorrhage / etiology*
Hemorrhage / therapy
Hemostatic Techniques
Humans
Infant, Newborn