children s health issues
Overview of General Problems in Newborns
Diagnosis
Before birth, ultrasonography, blood tests, and sometimes imaging tests After birth, various tests Some problems in newborns may be diagnosed before birth if the mother is receiving regular prenatal care. Other problems are diagnosed after birth. Diagnosing problems before birth is particularly helpful for fetuses with certain birth defects. Parents can plan with their doctor to deliver an infant in a hospital capable of providing a higher level of newborn care, including having a Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (NICU). Ultrasonography None During pregnancy, a woman’s uterus will house and protect a developing fetus for about 9 months. Throughout the pregnancy, the development of the fetus can be monitored by routine ultrasounds. An ultrasound is a procedure that allows a physician to examine internal anatomy through the use of high-frequency sound waves. A transducer is placed against the skin of the abdomen and gently moved around while it emits harmless sound waves into the body. The sound waves reflect, or echo, off structures within the abdomen, such as the fetus. The sound wave signals are interpreted by a computer and displayed on a monitor. With these images, the physician can examine the fetus and evaluate the progress of its development. that can be done to detect genetic and other abnormalities in the fetus during pregnancy. These are usually done during the first or second trimester. One type of blood test is called cell-free fetal nucleic acid (cfDNA). For the cfDNA test, small fragments of the fetus's DNA, which are present in the pregnant woman's blood in tiny amounts, are analyzed. The test results may be abnormal if the fetus has a genetic abnormality such as Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) (trisomy 21), Other types of blood tests can be done to measure levels of certain hormones and proteins (see First-Trimester Screening and see If the ultrasound and blood test results indicate a possible problem with the fetus, doctors may do additional tests on cells from the fetus using samples taken with a needle from the amniotic fluid ( Amniocentesis ), placenta ( Fetal echocardiography,a detailed examination of the heart using a specialized ultrasound device, may be done to detect certain heart defects. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) None Fetoscopyis an invasive test that is rarely done. For this test, doctors insert a small viewing scope (endoscope) into the womb. Early in pregnancy, the scope may be inserted through the mother's cervix. Later in pregnancy, the scope is inserted through a small incision in the mother's abdomen and then another incision in the uterus. The scope lets doctors take a direct look at the placenta and fetus to identify (and sometimes treat) disorders in the fetus. After birth, nurses and doctors do a routine Physical Examination of a Newborn of the newborn, measure oxygen levels in the blood, and do routine Additional testing is needed if the fetus or mother has a known health issue or there was a complication during the birth process. Depending on Gestational Age , newborns are classified as Additional testing may also be needed if the newborn is outside the normal range of weight or size. Newborns are classified into three groups by how much they weigh compared to other newborns of the same gestational age. The three groups are Appropriate for gestational age (AGA): From the 10th to the 90th percentile of weight, meaning they are among the 82 babies in the middle range for weight Small-for-Gestational-Age (SGA) Newborns (SGA): Less than the 10th percentile of weight, meaning they are among the 9 lowest-weight babies out of 100 born at a particular gestational age Large-for-Gestational-Age (LGA) Newborns (LGA): Greater than the 90th percentile of weight, meaning they are among the 9 heaviest babies out of 100 born at a particular gestational age The gestational age and weight classifications help doctors determine the risk of various complications. For example, preterm newborns are at increased risk of breathing problems because their lungs may not be fully developed. Large-for-gestational-age newborns may be at increased risk of low blood sugar (glucose). 