STUDY DESIGN Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial. Research plan 400 infants will be randomized during the first three hours of life to receive EPO (5250 U/kg body weight) or placebo intravenously, the first dose(750U/kg) will be injected within 24h after birth, subsequent injection will be given each other day for 2 weeks. Standardized evaluation including cerebral sonography at day 1, 7 and 28 will determine the presence or absence of complications. Cerebral volume and white matter volume will be assessed at 40 postmenstrual weeks with MRI (only if available).