Coagulation problems in the newborn

Bleeding and thrombosis are relatively rare in otherwise healthy newborn infants. In sick neonates however, they are more frequent because conditions such as liver disease and disseminated intravascular coagulation may result from an underlying illness, or intravascular catheters may be associated with thrombosis. Congenital deficiencies may sometimes present in healthy infants in the newborn period. It is important to identify the exact cause of bleeding so that the therapy can be appropriate. In this review, 'coagulation disorders' refer to bleeding or thrombosis, and the diagnostic work-up and management of an infant with a coagulation disorder is described.