children s health issues
Physical Examination of a Newborn
Abdomen and Genitals
(See also Overview of Digestive Tract Birth Defects and The general shape of the abdomen is examined and the size, shape, and position of internal organs, such as the kidneys, liver, and spleen are checked. Enlarged kidneys may indicate a blockage to the outflow of urine. The genitals are examined to ensure the urethra (the tube through which urine passes from the bladder during urination) is open and in the proper location. The genitals are checked to see if they are clearly male or female. In a boy, the testes should be present in the scrotum. In a girl, the labia are prominent because of exposure to the mother's hormones, and they remain swollen for the first few weeks. Secretions from the baby's vagina that contain blood and mucus are normal. Rarely, a newborn has genitals that are not clearly male or female (ambiguous genitalia) and further evaluation is needed. The anus is examined to make sure the opening is normally placed and not sealed shut. 