What is a brain haemorrhage?
A brain haemorrhage is when blood leaks out of blood vessels into the brain or the tissues around it. A brain haemorrhage can cause long-term problems for your baby. Rarely, it can sadly lead to death.
There are different types of brain haemorrhage that can happen in newborn babies. They are named according to where in the brain the bleeding happens.
The two main groups of brain haemorrhage are:
- Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) which happens in some premature babies because of their fragile blood vessels.
- Brain haemorrhages which may happen during or just after birth in babies born at full term.
If your baby has been diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage, you are likely to have lots of questions about what caused this, how it may affect them and what treatment your baby will need.
Talk to the doctors and nurses looking after your baby if you have questions or need something explaining. You can ask as many times as you like. They will be happy to answer your questions.
