Understanding and preventing perinatal, intracerebral, peri- and intraventricular hemorrhage

Antenatal anticipation of problem pregnancies and improvements in resuscitation and care of newborns have led to increasing survival of babies born prematurely. Nevertheless, the potential for neurologic handicaps is significant in this population of children, and the prevention of intracerebral, peri- and intraventricular hemorrhages and associated brain lesions remains a high priority. In this review, we consider the clinical problem of periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage; means of diagnosis; the EEG and periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage; sequelae; hypotheses of pathogenesis; experimental approaches to understanding periventricular, intraventricular hemorrhage; agents being tested for use in preventing hemorrhage; and future areas for research toward the prevention of hemorrhage and other neonatal brain lesions.