The beneits of antenatal magnesium sulfate and corticosteroids have already been described. Few specific treatments have been identified to reduce or prevent brain injury in the vulnerable preterm newborn. One potential neuroprotective therapy is with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) such as erythropoietin and darbepoetin. In addition to stimulating erythropoiesis, ESAs are protective in the developing brain in animal models (Wassink, 2017). Preliminary clinical studies are encouraging, and large trials are now underway (Beirer, 2014).
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