Prevalence of Neonatal Polycythemia and an Assessment of Its Related Risk Factors

Background: Neonatal polycythemia is a condition that is incidentally encountered in clinical practice. It is characterized by elevated hemoglobin levels (above 22 g/dL) and hematocrit ratios above 65%. It is important to understand both the prevalence as well as the related risk factors of this condition as untreated preventable risk factors can result in the development of hyperviscosity syndromes leading to potential multiple organ failure. Prevalence and Risk Factors: Risk factors include the presence of twin-to-twin transfusion, pre-eclampsia, maternal hypertension, operator-dependent cord clamping, and the presence of co-morbid conditions in neonates. The prevalence of neonatal polycythemia varies among regions and factors that may affect this variation include elevation above sea level of the patient and the mother, management of perinatal conditions such as gestational diabetes mellitus, and the method of delivery. Conclusions: From this study, it is evident that not only do existing neonatal and maternal risk factors such as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and post-term deliveries, respectively, increase the risk of neonatal polycythemia but also the geographical and socioeconomic status are major factors. It is therefore imperative to conduct more thorough large-scale cohort studies to further understand the reasons for this.