Intracranial hemorrhage in the term newborn.

Over a five-year period we identified 22 term newborns with intracranial hemorrhage by computed tomography in an intensive care unit for newborns. Primary subarachnoid hemorrhage (diffuse or focal) was the most common type of hemorrhage. Diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage was caused either by traumatic delivery or severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and caused seizures on the first day. Focal subarachnoid hemorrhage was associated with cerebral infarction. Intraventricular hemorrhage was always accompanied by bloody CSF. Somewhat more than half the newborns with intraventricular hemorrhage had a history of traumatic delivery. In the remainder there were no associated risk factors for the hemorrhage. Hemorrhage into the cerebral hemispheres occurred without any identifiable risk factors. Hemorrhage into the cerebellum was associated with traumatic delivery.