2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code P78.2

Neonatal hematemesis and melena due to swallowed maternal blood

ICD-10-CM Code:
P78.2
ICD-10 Code for:
Neonatal hematemesis and melena d/t swallowed matern blood
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
    (P00–P96)
    • Digestive system disorders of newborn
      (P76-P78)
      • Other perinatal digestive system disorders
        (P78)

P78.2 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of neonatal hematemesis and melena due to swallowed maternal blood. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Blood in vomit of newborn due to swallowed maternal blood
  • Melena
  • Melena of newborn due to swallowed maternal blood
  • Neonatal melena
  • Newborn ingestion of maternal blood
  • Vomit contains blood

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Melena

    the black, tarry, foul-smelling feces that contain degraded blood.
  • Feces

    excrement from the intestines, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and bacteria of the digestive system.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert P78.2 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 777.3 - Swallowed blood syndrome

Patient Education


Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Your digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum, and anus. Bleeding can come from any of these areas. The amount of bleeding can be so small that only a lab test can find it.

Signs of bleeding in the digestive tract depend where it is and how much bleeding there is.

Signs of bleeding in the upper digestive tract include:

  • Bright red blood in vomit
  • Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
  • Black or tarry stool
  • Dark blood mixed with stool

Signs of bleeding in the lower digestive tract include:

  • Black or tarry stool
  • Dark blood mixed with stool
  • Stool mixed or coated with bright red blood

GI bleeding is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. There are many possible causes of GI bleeding, including hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, tears or inflammation in the esophagus, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, colonic polyps, or cancer in the colon, stomach or esophagus.

The test used most often to look for the cause of GI bleeding is called endoscopy. It uses a flexible instrument inserted through the mouth or rectum to view the inside of the GI tract. A type of endoscopy called colonoscopy looks at the large intestine.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Nausea and Vomiting

What are nausea and vomiting?

Nausea is when you feel sick to your stomach, as if you are going to throw up. Vomiting is when you throw up.

What causes nausea and vomiting?

Nausea and vomiting can be symptoms of many different conditions, including:

  • Morning sickness during pregnancy
  • Gastroenteritis (infection of your intestines) and other infections
  • Migraines
  • Motion sickness
  • Food poisoning
  • Medicines, including those for cancer chemotherapy
  • GERD (reflux) and ulcers
  • Intestinal obstruction

When do I need to see a health care provider for nausea and vomiting?

Nausea and vomiting are common. They are usually not serious. However, you should contact your health care provider immediately if you have:

  • A reason to think that your vomiting is from poisoning
  • Vomited for longer than 24 hours
  • Blood in the vomit
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Severe headache and stiff neck
  • Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, infrequent urination or dark urine

How is the cause of nausea and vomiting diagnosed?

Your health care provider will take your medical history, ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. The provider will look for signs of dehydration. You may have some tests, including blood and urine tests. Women may also have a pregnancy test.

What are the treatments for nausea and vomiting?

Treatments for nausea and vomiting depend on the cause. You may get treatment for the underlying problem. There are some medicines that can treatment nausea and vomiting. For severe cases of vomiting, you may need extra fluids through an IV (intravenous).

There are things that you can do to feel better:

  • Get enough fluids, to avoid dehydration. If you are having trouble keeping liquids down, drink small amounts of clear liquids often.
  • Eat bland foods; stay away from spicy, fatty, or salty foods
  • Eat smaller meals more often
  • Avoid strong smells, since they can sometimes trigger nausea and vomiting
  • If you are pregnant and have morning sickness, eat crackers before you get out of bed in the morning

[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Uncommon Infant and Newborn Problems

It can be scary when your baby is sick, especially when it is not an everyday problem like a cold or a fever. You may not know whether the problem is serious or how to treat it. If you have concerns about your baby's health, call your health care provider right away.

Learning information about your baby's condition can help ease your worry. Do not be afraid to ask questions about your baby's care. By working together with your health care provider, you make sure that your baby gets the best care possible.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.