Abstract: Objectives　To explore the effect of exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) on the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in hippocampal CA1 region and 5- bromide -2- uracil (BrdU) in hippocampal DG region in neonatal Wistar rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods　Forty-eight Wistar rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into HIBD model group and EPO experimental group, and another 24 rats as sham operated group. The HIBD model was established by ligating the right common carotid artery and inhaling hypoxia gas mixture (8% O2 and 92% N2) for 2 h. The expression of GFAP in hippocampal CA1 region and the number of BrdU positive cells in the hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemical method on at 14 d, 21 d, and 28 d after operation and compared among three groups. Results　On 14 d and 21 d after operation, the expression of GFAP in CA1 region and the number of BrdU positive cells were statistically different among three groups (P<0.01) with EPO experimental group having the highest, HIBD model group having the second highest and sham operation group having the lowest in both, . On 28 d after operation, there was no difference in the expression of GFAP and the number of BrdU positive cells in the DG among three groups (P>0.05). At different time point (14 d, 21 d, 28 d) in every group, the expression of GFAP in CA1 region and the number of BrdU positive cells in DG region were all statistically different (P<0.01), all with the highest on 14 d after operation, second highest on 21 d, and the lowest on 28 d. Conclusions　Early administration of exogenous EPO can promote the expression of GFAP in hippocampal CA1 region and increase the number of BrdU positive cells in DG region, which indicates that EPO can promote the proliferation and regeneration of damaged neurons. EPO had neuroprotective effect on neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.