Which statement best describes relative blood volume per kilogram comparing preterm and term infants?

• A. Preterm per kg blood volume is higher than term per kg
• B. Term per kg blood volume is higher than preterm
• C. They are the same
• D. Variation makes it unpredictable

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that blood volume per kilogram is higher in preterm infants than in term infants because preterms have a larger fraction of body water and plasma relative to their weight. This means their total blood volume, when divided by body weight, tends to be greater. In practice, preterm babies often have around 90–100 ml/kg, whereas term infants are closer to about 80–85 ml/kg. This pattern helps explain why fluid management and transfusion decisions in preterm neonates consider a higher per‑kg blood volume. While individual variation exists, the general trend is that preterms have more blood per kilogram than term infants, not the other way around or the same amount.