Neonatology and Blood Transfusion

The indications for transfusion therapy in the neonatal period are based on specific knowledge of various aspects of this particular period of life, such as the dynamic interaction of the mother-placenta-foetus/neonate, the pathophysiological changes in the perinatal and neonatal periods and the profound haematological modfications that are characteristic of the first weeks of life. Furthermore, the physiological immaturity of various organs and systems can expose neonates, in particular those with a very low birth weight (VLBW) ( Appendix I ), to metabolic alterations following the transfusion of various blood components and the additives in them, and to infectious and immunological risks, such as Graft-versus-Host disease (GVHD).