National Survey of Neonatal Transfusion Practices: II. Blood Component Therapy

Neonatal transfusion practices during 1989 of 452 institutions involved in transfusing infants were surveyed by questionnaire. Most respondents (77%) transfused fresh frozen plasma appropriately (ie, primarily to treat coagulation disorders). However, 11% stated that their most frequent use of fresh frozen plasma was solely to treat hypovolemia, a practice generally not recommended. Seventy-eight percent of respondents transfused platelets to treat bleeding infants with blood platelet counts of less than 50×10 9 /L; 84% gave platelets to sick, premature neonates with counts of less than 50×10 9 /L whether or not bleeding was evident