Risk factors for the genesis of IVH
What risk factors are thought to play a role in the genesis of IVH?
The most important risk factor for the development of an IVH is prematurity.
While only about 10% of infants born at 28 weeks will develop a severe IVH, the risk for infants born at 24 weeks is closer to 25%.
Birth weight (small, appropriate, or large for gestation age) is an independent risk factor.
Other risk factors include
- mechanical ventilation,
- pneumothoraces,
- rapid expansion of intravascular volume (large or rapid IV infusions),
- rapid or wide fluctuations in blood pressure,
- hypoxic-ischemic injury,
- hypernatremia and hyperosmolality,
- administration of certain medications such as indomethacin
