Intraventricular Hemorrhage Symptoms & Causes - Boston ...

What is intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)?. IVH is bleeding inside or around the ventricles—spaces in the brain that contain the cerebral spinal fluid. PayYourBill MyChildren'sPatientPortal InternationalVisitors WaystoHelp Careers Donate Donate ForPatients ForHealthCareProfessionals Programs&Services Conditions&Treatments Research Innovation Close ForPatients ForHealthCareProfessionals Programs&Services Conditions&Treatments Research Innovation InternationalVisitors WaystoHelp Careers Donate Donate PayYourBill MyChildren'sPatientPortal Conditions ContacttheFetal-NeonatalNeurologyProgram 617-355-6388 International +1-617-355-5209 RequestanAppointmentRequestaSecondOpinion ContacttheFetal-NeonatalNeurologyProgram 617-355-6388 International +1-617-355-5209 RequestanAppointmentRequestaSecondOpinion Navigation Overview Symptoms&Causes Testing&Diagnosis Treatments ProgramsandServices IntraventricularHemorrhageSymptoms&Causes Whatisintraventricularhemorrhage(IVH)? IVHisbleedinginsideoraroundtheventricles—spacesinthebrainthatcontainthecerebralspinalfluid.Bleedinginthebraincanputpressureonthenervecellsanddamagethem.Ifthenervecellsareseverelydamaged,itcanresultinirreversiblebraininjury. IVHisoftendescribedinfourgrades,dependingontheamountofbleeding: gradeone—bleedingoccursjustinasmallareaoftheventricles gradetwo—bleedingalsooccursinsidetheventricles gradethree—ventriclesareenlargedbytheblood gradefour—bleedingalsooccursinthebraintissuesaroundtheventricles. Gradesoneandtwoaremostcommonandoccurinaboutthree-quartersofbabieswithIVH.Gradesthreeandfouraremoreseriousandmayresultinlong-termbraininjurytothebaby.Hydrocephalus—toomuchcerebralspinalfluidinthebrain—maydevelopaftersevereIVH. WhatcausesIVH? It'snotclearwhyIVHoccursbutitisthoughtthatitmayresultfromofalackofoxygentothebrain,duetoadifficultortraumaticbirth,orfromcomplicationsafterdelivery.Bleedingcanoccurbecausebloodvesselsinaprematurebaby'sbrainareveryfragileandeasilyrupture.BabieswithrespiratoryproblemsorothercomplicationsofprematurityaremorelikelytohaveIVH. CommonsymptomsofIVHinclude: apneaandbradycardia(stoppingbreathingandlowheartrate) paleorbluecoloring weaksuck high-pitchedcry seizures swellingorbulgingofthefontanelles,the"softspots"betweenthebonesofthebaby'shead anemia(lowbloodcount) Thecommitmentandcompassionwithwhichwecareforallchildrenandfamiliesismatchedonlybythepioneeringspiritofdiscoveryandinnovationthatdrivesustothinkdifferently,tofindanswers,andtobuildabettertomorrowforchildreneverywhere. KevinB.Churchwell,PresidentandCEO ConnectwithBostonChildren'sHospital Howcanwehelp?Close Howcanwehelp? RequestAppointment FindADoctor FindaLocation VirtualChat MyChildren'sPortal ReferaPatient BostonChildren'sHospital #1RankedChildren'sHospitalbyU.S.News&WorldReport 300LongwoodAvenue, Boston,MA02115  617-355-6000 Donate AboutBostonChildren's AboutUs VirtualVisits MyChildren'sPatientPortal Quality&PatientSafety Giving CareerOpportunities Locations Education&Training Iwantto: FindADoctor GetASecondOpinion LearnAboutConditions MakeAReferral RequestAnAppointment Volunteer MakeaSuggestion ContactUs PublicRelations Newsroom Patient&FamilyRights GovernmentRelations HIPAANoticeofPrivacyPractices TermsofUse ©2005-2022AllRightsReserved