Abstract: 　Objective　To investigate the correlation between the level of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) mRNA/EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA and the white matter damage in brain tissue of neonatal rats. Methods　Ten pregnant 15 days Wistar rats, 5 were intraperitoneally injected LPS (300 μg/kg) to make model of cerebral white matter lesions caused by intrauterine inflammation and 5 were intraperitoneally injected same amount of normal saline as control. After the pregnant rats giving birth, 18 newborn rats were selected from experimental group and control group respectively. Cerebral white matter damage in newborn rats was detected by hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining. The level of EPO and EPOR mRNA in the corpus callosum were detected by real time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The levels of CD68, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), myelin basic protein (MBP) in periventricular white matter were detected by immunofluorescence. The differences between two groups were compared. The correlation of CD68, GFAP, and MBP with MBP, EPO mRNA, and EPOR mRNA, were analyzed. Results 　In experimental group, the structure of periventricular white matter of newborn rats was scattered, with reticular change. The white matter damage was apparent. The levels of CD68, GFAP, EPO mRNA and EPOR mRNA in experimental group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the levels of CD68 and GFAP were positively correlated with the levels of endogenous EPO and EPOR mRNA (r=0.92-0.95, all P<0.01). Conclusion　The expression of endogenous EPOR mRNA rises in white matter damage caused by intrauterine infection in newborn rats, which may be the basis of the protective effect of EPO in brain damage.