HIGHER FREQUENCY OF GERMINAL MATRIX-INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE IN MODERATE AND LATE PRETERM AND EARLY TERM NEONATES WITH INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION COMPARED TO HEALTHY ONES

Germinal matrix-intraventricular brain hemorrhage is mostly found in preterm neonates, but may also occur in term neonates. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and severity of this type of hemorrhage in moderate and late preterm and early term neonates with intrauterine growth restriction. In the prospective analysis, 100 newborns were examined, i.e. 70 with intrauterine growth restriction and 30 as a control group. Study subjects were neonates from 32 0/7 to 38 6/7 gestational weeks. Body weight, body length, head circumference and ponderal index at birth were analyzed. Hemorrhage was assessed by cranial ultrasound using Papile classification. Out of 70 neonates with intrauterine growth restriction, germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage was not found in 36 (51.43%) neonates, 31 (44.29%) had hemorrhage grade 1, and three (4.29%) had hemorrhage grade 2, which was statistically significant (p<0.001) in relation to the control group. There were no neonates with hemorrhage grade 3 or 4. The predominant type of germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage in the intrauterine growth restriction group was hemorrhage grade 1. Germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage was more often present in the intrauterine growth restricted neonates than in the control group.