Hematemesis and melena of newborn due to swallowed maternal blood

This code describes the presence of blood in a newborn's vomit (hematemesis) or stool (melena) that originates from maternal blood ingested during birth or breastfeeding. It specifically indicates that the source of the bleeding is extrinsic, not intrinsic to the newborn's gastrointestinal system.

This code is appropriate when a newborn presents with bloody emesis or dark, tarry stools, and diagnostic evaluation confirms the presence of maternal hemoglobin. Documentation should clearly state "swallowed maternal blood" as the etiology, often confirmed by an Apt test or similar differentiation.

• Differentiate from intrinsic neonatal GI bleeding, which would require a different code.
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "swallowed maternal blood" as the cause.
• Do not use if the source of the blood is unknown or suspected to be from the newborn's own GI tract.