Anemia in preterm infants

Premature infant anemia refers to anemia that occurs in a premature or low birth weight infant within one year after birth. This is related to the imperfect development of various physiological functions in the fetal period. The average hemoglobin value of umbilical cord blood in preterm infants is 175 g / L to 16 g / L (17.5 g / dl to 1.6 g / dl), which is similar to that of term infants. In the short term after birth, hemoglobin drops rapidly. Premature infants with a birth weight of 1.2 to 2.5 kg have a hemoglobin value of 80 to 100 g / L (8.0 to 10.0 g / dl) at 5 to 10 weeks after birth. The hemoglobin value in the next 4 to 8 weeks was 65 to 90 g / L (6.5 to 9.0 g / dl). If anemia premature infants are asymptomatic, eat well, and gain weight, some people call it physiological anemia in premature infants and do not need treatment. However, because the mechanism of physiological anemia in preterm infants is not exactly the same as that in term infants, and symptoms often occur, some people believe that it should be non-physiological and require intervention.

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