Vitreous hemorrhages and disseminated intravascular coagulation in the newborn.

Of 164 consecutive newborns seen in consultations, three babies had either a preretinal or a vitreous hemorrhage, a rare occurrence. Two of these babies had a mild form of disseminated intravascular coagulation. The hemorrhages cleared within a few months after birth. Each of the three babies was premature, had a respiratory distress syndrome, and was born to a primiparous mother. The possibility of a coagulation defect causing intraocular hemorrhage in newborns should be considered along with the tranditional mechanical theories.