Placental transfusion and hyperbilirubinemia in the premature.

Placental transfusion has been compared in premature and full-term infants. Blood volume measurements showed that the 5-minute transfusion was similar in full-term and premature infants (47% and 50% increase in blood volume from birth). A larger proportion of the 5-minute transfusion occurred by 1 minute in full-term (76%) than in premature infants (56%). Placental transfusion, by increasing red cell volume, greatly enhanced the severity of …