NEONATAL INTRACRANIAL LESIONS FOLLOWING PLACENTAL ABRUPTION

A case-controlled study of the cerebral ultrasound appearances of neon ates following placental abruption was undertaken. Twenty-nine index s ubjects (median gestation 29 weeks) were identified over a 2-year peri od with gestation-and sex-matched controls. Placental abruption was as sociated with a four-fold increased incidence of periventricular leuko malacia and extensive periventricular haemorrhage, without increased m ortality. Ten infants (34%) developed cystic periventricular leukomala cia following placental abruption, compared with three (10%) in the co ntrol group. Intraventricular haemorrhage (excluding subependymal haem orrhage) and haemorrhage into the brain parenchyma occurred in 21 (72% ) infants in the abruption group, compared with 14 (48%) in the contro l group (P < 0.05).