Neonatal Retinal Hemorrhages and Influence of Perinatal Factors

ABSTRACT

Retinal hemorrhages in the newborn infant were first described shortly after the invention of the ophthalmoscope(Jaeger. 1961). Frequency of the retinal hemorrhages in the newborn infant has been reported to be between 2.6 and 50%. We postulate that the retinal hemorrhages are caused by maternal factors and fetal factors. Maternal factors include delivery type, maternal age, duration of pregnancy, parity, duration of labor, and maternal blood pressure. Fetal factors include color of the amnionic fluid, body weight, and sex. We examined the fundus of 161 newborn infants and investigated the above factors that influenced the retinal hemorrhages. The results were as follows 1. The overall incidence of the retinal hemorrhages were 35.4%. 2. According to the delivery types, retinal hemorrhages were found in 57.9% after vacuum extraction, in 41.7% after induction delivery, in 33.8% after spontaneous delivery, and in 13.5% after Cesarean section. 3. As the duration of pregnancy increased in complicated delivery, retinal hemorrhages also tendted to increase. 4. The incidence of hemorrhages were greater in the hypertensive mother and abnormal color of amnionic fluid in spontaneous delivery. 5. The incidence of retinal hemorrhages were greater in the high body weight, multipara, and normal duration of labor. 6. Retinal hemorrhages were not related the maternal age and fetal sex. 7. Retinal hemorrhages were absorbed within four weeks.