Intracerebral haemorrhage in a full-term newborn

Intracerebal intraventricular hemorrhage (IC-IVH), a frequent complication of prematurity, is quite rare in full-term infants. In both age groups it is related to perinatal complications such as birth trauma, hypoxia and acidosis, sudden changes in blood pressure and high cerebral venous pressure. We report a mature newborn with an uneventful perinatal course who, at the age of nine days, deteriorated neurologically and was hospitalized with the presumptive diagnosis of neonatal meningitis. Two lumbar punctures yielded bloody fluid and raised the possibility of IC-IVH, which was confirmed by CT scan. The infant later developed hydrocephalus, which was treated by ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The child is now six months old and is developing well.