Neonatal Anemia

Abstract

Neonatal anemia and iron deficiency are frequent founds in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The three major causes of anemia in neonates are blood loss, reduced red blood cell production, and increased degradation of the erythrocytes. Premature infants in ICUs have high levels of iron deficiency, and ascertaining the cause of anemia in this group of patients can be a challenge in clinical practice. This chapter provides an updated review of neonatal anemia. It will concern the patho-physiology of neonatal anemia in term and preterm infants and a detailed discussion of the traditional and innovative laboratory tests for diagnosis and assessment of this condition in the ICUs.