Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsImportance of the Neonatal PeriodRisks and ComplicationsWhat Happens in the Neonatal PeriodCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Importance of the Neonatal Period
Risks and Complications
What Happens in the Neonatal Period
Coping
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The neonatal period is the riskiest period after birth. Worldwide, 2.4 million infants died in the first month of life in 2019.Death rates in this period have decreased over the past few decades, but complications during pregnancy and delivery remain significant, with 75% of infant deaths occurring in the first week of life.
With proper prenatal care, some complications or conditions may be identified before delivery, and infants could be labeled as high risk before they are even born. This gives medical teams adequate warning and time to make sure the tools necessary to care for the infant are in place at the time of birth.
Possible complications or problems during the delivery process and neonatal period include:
Infants who require extensive care from premature birth or other neonatal complications may need to receive treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit after birth. If no complications occur, the delivery team begins to make plans to transition babies to postnatal care hours after delivery.Hospitals in the United States are required to offer at least a 48-hour hospital stay after birth for a vaginal delivery and 96 hours for a cesarean delivery.
The 10 Leading Causes of Infant Death
In the Hospital
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Coping with the challenges of the neonatal period can be difficult. If you gave birth to your newborn, you will experience hormonal and physical challenges from the birth and any complications you may have had. Even parents who didn’t give birth to their infants may struggle with sleep and feeding schedules or even bonding.
A Word From Verywell
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Neonate.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preterm birth.American Academy of Pediatrics/American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Guidelines for perinatal care.World Health Organization.Newborns: Improving survival and well-being.University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s.Newborn complications we treat.National Conference of State Legislatures.Maternity length of stay rules.American Academy of Pediatrics.AAP schedule of well-child care visits.Kaiser Permanente.Newborn visit - Day 2.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Neonate.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preterm birth.American Academy of Pediatrics/American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Guidelines for perinatal care.World Health Organization.Newborns: Improving survival and well-being.University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s.Newborn complications we treat.National Conference of State Legislatures.Maternity length of stay rules.American Academy of Pediatrics.AAP schedule of well-child care visits.Kaiser Permanente.Newborn visit - Day 2.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Neonate.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preterm birth.American Academy of Pediatrics/American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Guidelines for perinatal care.World Health Organization.Newborns: Improving survival and well-being.University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s.Newborn complications we treat.National Conference of State Legislatures.Maternity length of stay rules.American Academy of Pediatrics.AAP schedule of well-child care visits.Kaiser Permanente.Newborn visit - Day 2.
MedlinePlus.Neonate.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preterm birth.
American Academy of Pediatrics/American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Guidelines for perinatal care.
World Health Organization.Newborns: Improving survival and well-being.
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s.Newborn complications we treat.
National Conference of State Legislatures.Maternity length of stay rules.
American Academy of Pediatrics.AAP schedule of well-child care visits.
Kaiser Permanente.Newborn visit - Day 2.
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