The effect of antenatal phenobarbital therapy on neonatal intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants

Giving pregnant women in premature labor phenobarbital just prior to delivery does not appear to reduce the risk of intracranial hemorrhage in the baby. Researchers gave phenobarbital or a placebo intravenously to 610 women who were in premature labor and expected to deliver within 24 hours. They continued to receive oral phenobarbital once a day if they did not deliver within 24 hours. Ultrasound scans of the baby following its birth revealed that intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 23% of the infants in both groups. Phenobarbital also did not reduce infant mortality.