hemorrhagic disease of the newborn


hem·or·rhag·ic dis·ease of the new·born

a syndrome characterized by spontaneous internal or external bleeding accompanied by hypoprothrombinemia, slightly decreased platelets, and markedly elevated bleeding and clotting times, usually occurring between the third and sixth days of life; effectively treated with vitamin K.

hemorrhagic disease of the newborn

A neonatal condition caused by vitamin K deficiency, the combined result of a lack of unbound maternal vitamin K, immaturity of the fetal liver and lack of vitamin K-producing bacteria in the infant colon Clinical Abrupt early postpartum onset with spontaneous nasogastric or intracranial hemorrhage, affecting up to 1/1000 neonates and carrying a 5-30% mortality, if untreated; the condition may be more common in breast-fed infants and is more severe and of earlier onset in infants of mothers receiving anticonvulsives–antagonistic to warfarin during pregnancy Lab ↑ PT due to extrinsic factor depletion, ↑ clotting time, ↓ liver-dependent coagulation factors. Cf Hemolytic disease of the newborn.

hem·or·rhag·ic dis·ease of the new·born

(HDN) (hem'ŏr-aj'ik di-zēz' nū'bōrn) A syndrome characterized by spontaneous internal or external bleeding accompanied by hypoprothrombinemia, slightly decreased platelet counts, and markedly elevated bleeding and clotting times, usually occurring between the third and sixth days of life and effectively treated with vitamin K.
Synonym(s): haemorrhagic disease of the newborn.