Intraventricular Hemorrhage | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) of the newborn is bleeding into the fluid-filled areas, or ventricles, surrounded by the brain. SkipNavigation ImportantUpdates:COVID-19vaccinations|RecallonPhilipsRespironicsmedicaldevices COVID-19:Wearevaccinatingalleligiblepatients.Learnmore: Vaccines,Boosters&AdditionalDoses|Testing|PatientCare|VisitorGuidelines|Coronavirus| EmailAlerts   PhilipsRespironicsissuedarecallforsomeCPAPandBiLevelPAPdevicesandmechanicalventilators.Learnmore. HealthHome ConditionsandDiseases IntraventricularHemorrhage ShareonFacebook ShareonTwitter ShareonLinkedin ShareonPinterest ShareviaEmail PrintthisPage Brain,NervesandSpine Whatisintraventricularhemorrhage? Intraventricularhemorrhage(IVH)ofthenewbornisbleedingintothefluid-filledareas,orventricles,surroundedbythebrain.Theconditionismostoftenseeninprematurebabies,andthesmallerandmoreprematuretheinfant,thehighertheriskforIVH.Thisisbecausebloodvesselsinthebrainofprematureinfantsarenotyetfullydevelopedandareextremelyfragile.IVHisrarelypresentatbirth,andifitoccurs,itwillusuallybeinthefirstseveraldaysoflife. Theconditionisquiterareafteronemonthofage,nomatterhowearlythebabywasborn.ButIVHismorecommoninprematurebabieswhohavehadphysicalstress,suchasrespiratorydistresssyndrome,pneumothoraxorhighbloodpressure.Theconditionmayalsooccurinhealthyprematurebabieswhowerebornwithoutinjury.IVHmaydevelopinfull-termbabies,thoughitisveryuncommon. Symptoms Theremaybenosymptoms,thoughthemostcommonsymptomsseeninprematureinfantsinclude: Breathingpauses(apnea) Decreasedmuscletone Decreasedreflexes Excessivesleep Lethargy Weaksuck Diagnosis Aroutineheadultrasoundisrecommendedforallbabiesbornbefore30weeks.Thetestisdoneoncebetweensevenand14daysofage.Asecondroutineultrasoundissuggestedclosetothetimethebabywasoriginallyexpectedtobeborn.IVHshouldbeconsideredwheneverthebaby'shealthworsenssuddenly,especiallyinthefirstweekoflife.AheadCTisrecommendedifatermbabyhassymptomsafteradifficultbirth,lowbloodcountorothersignsofbleedingproblems. Treatment Thereisnocurrenttherapytostopthebleeding.Thehealthcareteamwillkeeptheinfantasstableaspossibleandtreatsymptomsasappropriate.Forexample,abloodtransfusionmaybegiventoimprovebloodpressureandbloodcount.Ifhydrocephalusdevelops,aspinaltapmaybedonetorelievepressure.Iftheconditioncannotbetreatedwithaspinaltap,surgerymaybeneededtoplaceatubeorshuntinthebraintodrainfluid. Prognosis Howwelltheinfantdoesdependsontheseverityofbleedingandwhetherhydrocephalusdevelops.InfantswithlowgradesofbleedinghaveoutcomessimilartoprematurebabieswhodonothaveIVH.MoresevereIVHmayleadtodevelopmentaldelaysandmovementproblems. Prevention Pregnantwomenwhoarehighriskofdeliveringearlymaybegivencorticosteroidstohelpreducethebaby'sriskforIVH.Incertainwomenwhoareonmedicationsthataffectbleedingrisks,vitaminKshouldbegivenbeforedelivery. FindaDoctor SpecializingIn: Aneurysms AneurysmalSubarachnoidHemorrhage(ASH) AneurysmRepair CerebralAneurysms CerebralAneurysm Cerebralvascularmalformations SeeMore AtAnotherJohnsHopkinsMemberHospital: HowardCountyGeneralHospital SibleyMemorialHospital SuburbanHospital FindaTreatmentCenter AneurysmCenter NeurologyandNeurosurgery FindAdditionalTreatmentCentersat: HowardCountyGeneralHospital SibleyMemorialHospital SuburbanHospital Related UnrupturedBrainAneurysms FlowDiversionwithStentsforBrainAneurysms CerebralArteriogram EndovascularCoiling RequestanAppointment FindaDoctor 410-955-5000 Maryland 855-695-4872 OutsideofMaryland +1-410-502-7683 International FindaDoctor SeeMore Related Brain,NervesandSpine UnrupturedBrainAneurysms AneurysmTreatment FlowDiversionwithStentsforBrainAneurysms CerebralAneurysm CerebralArteriogram RelatedTopics Brain,NervesandSpine