Hypobaric birth room may prevent intraventricular hemorrhage in extremely low birth weights infants.

In the early postnatal period, intraventricular hemorrhage may develop in infants with extremely low birth weights due to hemodynamic instability. One of the most significant factors in intraventricular hemorrhage development is fluctuations in the cerebral blood flow due to left-to-right shunting as a result of patent ductus arteriosus, and such cases most frequently develop intraventricular hemorrhage within the first 72 h. The frequency of intraventricular hemorrhage may be reduced through the prevention of fluctuations in the cerebral blood flow in this time frame. Based on our hypothesis, we recommend that extremely low birth weight infants should be delivered and monitored in hypobaric rooms for the first three days after birth, as this may reduce left-to-right shunting as a result of patent ductus arteriosus by preventing the rapid drops seen in pulmonary pressure after birth. A more stable hemodynamic status may be achieved by increasing the cerebral blood flow during an acute term in a hypobaric environment. Gradual transition to the normobaric status at the end of the third day may prevent the long-term negative effects of hypobaric conditions.