Risks associated with blood transfusion in newborn infants.

As with many other effective therapies, there are untoward side effects associated with blood transfusions in newborn infants. Discussed in this article are infectious agents transmitted by blood components, metabolic complications of transfusion, cardiac and vascular complications, hemorrhagic complications, donor erythrocyte injury, and alloimmunization to red cell and white cell antigens. Thus, potential complications must always be borne in mind when transfusing blood products.