Neurodevelopmental follow-up of infants with birthweight less than 801 grams with intracranial hemorrhage.

The incidence and severity of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were determined in a group of surviving infants with birthweights less than 801 g born during the period of 1983 through 1985. Neurodevelopmental status was assessed at 2 and 3 years of age to determine the relationship between neonatal ICH and later outcome in these infants. Forty-four of 77 neonatal survivors (57%) had ICH. Infants with ICH were less mature than those without (25.7 weeks' vs 26.5 weeks' gestation, P less than .05). There were no other perinatal factors that significantly differed between groups. At both 2 and 3 years of age, there were no significant differences between groups of infants with no or mild ICH and those with severe ICH regarding frequency of developmental delay, cerebral palsy, or visual impairment. Persistent ventriculomegaly in infants with ICH was associated with the highest incidence of neurodevelopmental disabilities. For extremely low birthweight infants, the presence and severity of neonatal ICH, in itself, did not adequately predict neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 or 3 years of age. Among infants with ICH, ventriculomegaly persisting to hospital discharge may indicate the greatest risk for neurologic and visual disabilities.