Final answer:
Premature infants often need transfusions due to anemia, insufficient red blood cell counts, or low blood volume, which is linked to their underdeveloped organs such as the lungs and kidneys.
Step-by-step explanation:
Premature infants often require transfusions primarily due to anemia or because they have experienced significant blood loss. In the case of premature infants, they may have poor stores of nutrients at birth which includes having low iron stores due to premature birth. Transfusions help to replace the inadequate amount of red blood cells (RBCs) or blood volume that these infants may suffer from. Another reason for transfusions in premature infants is that their underdeveloped organs, particularly the lungs and kidneys, may not function as effectively as those of full-term infants, leading to higher demands for supportive measures like oxygen therapy and fluid intake.