[Value of fibrinogen level measurement in neonatal infections due to maternal contamination].

Fibrinogen, factors V, II and VII + X assays have been performed by micromethod on day 1, 2 and 3 in 275 newborn infants (full-term and premature) over a period of one year -- 20 infants had proved bacterial infection (from maternal contamination) with positive cultures. The control group included 20 normal newborns in the same range of gestational age. The increase of the fibrinogen level in the infected infants appeared to be significant on day 1 and 2 but not on day 3 (Day 1: 4,06 g/l +/- 0,74 g/l versus 2,06 g/l +/- 0,28 g/l in normal newborn. p less than 0.0001; on Day 2: 4,20 +/- 0,86 g/l versus 2,32 g/l +/- 0,09 g/l p less than 0.001; on Day 3: 3,68 g/l +/- 0,62 versus 3,36 +/- 0,66 g/l). The level of fibrinogen measured in the newborn period by the micromethod was in a accordance with former works showing that it is up th the adult value after the 3rd day of life. Since the micromethod on capillary blood requires only 140 microliters of blood (whereas 2 ml with macromethod) this fibrinogen determination appears to be a rapid and reliable method for the diagnosis of neonatal infection due to materno-fetal contamination.