BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Blood exchange as a method for treating of abnormal increase of bilirubin in the first week of life, has always been faced with serious potential side effects. Therefore prevention and early detection of these complications is important. Given the higher prevalence of jaundice in preterm neonates, this study was done to compare the complications of transfusion in term and preterm neonates with jaundice..

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done on 50 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia and treated with blood transfusions using available sampling method. Samples were investigated for several variables such as platelets, calcium, glucose, potassium, sodium, bicarbonate and clinical signs during transfusion, and up to 24 hours after it.

FINDINGS: From total of 50 neonates in this study, 22 neonates were preterm (44%) and 28 neonates were term (56 percent). The most common complication of blood transfusions in all neonatal was thrombocytopenia (48%). The most common complication in term neonates was reported thrombocytopenia (85.67%) and metabolic acidosis (2.57%) in preterm neonates, respectively (p<0.05). The complications of hyperglycemia (5 term neonates and 3 preterm neonates), hypoglycemia (only 2 preterm neonates), hyponatremia (only in 4 preterm neonates), and a serious complication of hyperkalemia (only in one neonate) were observed. This difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: The results showed that thrombocytopenia (in term neonates) and metabolic acidosis (in preterm neonates) are the most frequent complications of blood transfusion.