VISCOSITY OF THE BLOOD IN THE NEWBORN INFANT

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Abstract
Bergqvist, G. (Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, St Göran's Hospital for Children, Stockholm, Sweden). Viscosity of the blood in the newborn infant. Acta Paediatr Scand,63: 858, 1974.—Whole blood viscosity has been measured with a Brookfidd LVT viscometer on newborn infants with varying hematocrit values. Normal term infants appropriate for gestational age, preterms and small for gestational age infants were studied during the first week. Viscosity/hematocrits varied enormously both in different infants, but also between groups, i.e. terms, preterms and SGA. Marked variations occurred during the first week of life. The normal viscosity values were found to be roughly twice as high as in adults, whereas the plasma viscosity was the same or rather lower. The difference in viscosity in relation to adults seems to be due almost entirely to the higher hematocrit values. With late clamping of the cord, infants (and especially small for gestational age infants) may have extremely high hematocrit and viscosity valUS.