Activation of coagulation and disseminated intravascular coagulation in the newborn.

Human newborns have certain hemostatic "deficiencies" which seem to be peculiar to this period of life, such as reduced factors II, VII, IX, X, XI, and XII, reduced antithrombin III levels, and reduced plasminogen levels. However, they are capable of activating the coagulation mechanism to elicit either the entity of disseminated intravascular coagulation or the occurrence of localized and diffuse thrombotic events. The mechanisms involved have yet to be defined. Evidence has been presented to suggest that preterm infants may manifest a variant form of disseminated intravascular coagulation in which thrombocytopenia is not present.