Do you know that every year, over 90,000 babies are cared for in neonatal units because they have been born prematurely? A strong link exists between acute perinatal issues and prepartum illnesses affecting both mother and baby. Good prenatal care for the mother and using modern methods to check the baby's health are important during pregnancy.

Effective teamwork between obstetricians and neonatologists is vital to spot high-risk babies. Some foetal conditions can now be treated before birth. However, decisions about the timing and method of delivery for high-risk babies must be carefully made by obstetricians and neonatologists. 

Even during normal vaginal delivery, the baby may experience progressive acidosis and lack of oxygen. Nevertheless, with modern obstetric care, most newborns breathe well within 1-2 minutes of birth, and only a small percentage require active intervention in the delivery room. This article outlines the principles of newborn resuscitation and the treatment of acute perinatal diseases.

What Is Foetal Medicine?

Foetal medicine deals with the foetus’s health in pregnancy. It's a part of obstetrics. Foetal medicine employs advanced tests such as ultrasound, genetic tests, and foetal monitoring to examine foetal growth and detect any problems.

Prenatal diagnosis is crucial in foetal medicine. It aids doctors in detecting birth defects or genetic issues early in pregnancy. Spotting issues early aids in deciding on prenatal treatments, planning delivery, and post-birth care for the baby.

Bridging the Continuum of Care

It's crucial to smoothly shift from foetal medicine to neonatal care for the best results for both the mother and the baby. Collaboration among obstetricians, neonatologists, paediatricians, genetic counsellors, and other healthcare experts guarantees a unified approach to perinatal care.

Prenatal diagnosis is crucial for connecting the continuum of care. It offers vital details about the baby's health and aids in forming customised care strategies. Early identification of foetal conditions empowers healthcare teams to coordinate delivery logistics and prepare for potential neonatal interventions. This proactive approach helps optimise outcomes.

Challenges

Despite significant progress in foetal medicine and neonatal care, numerous challenges persist. Access to specialised care, socioeconomic disparities, and ethical considerations surrounding prenatal diagnosis and intervention are among the complex issues facing healthcare providers and families.

1. Access Disparities: Disparities in access to specialised foetal medicine and neonatal care services persist, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
2. Socioeconomic Factors: Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, lack of education, and limited access to healthcare facilities contribute to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes.
3. Ethical Dilemmas: Ethical considerations surrounding prenatal diagnosis, selective abortion, and end-of-life care pose complex challenges for healthcare providers, patients, and families.
4. Technological Limitations: Despite technological advancements, limitations in foetal imaging resolution and diagnostic accuracy remain, impacting the early detection and management of foetal anomalies.
5. Provider Education and Training: Ensuring healthcare providers are adequately trained in neonatal medicine, neonatal care, and essential newborn care practices is essential for improving outcomes and reducing neonatal mortality rates.

Innovations

1. Telemedicine and Telemonitoring: Telemedicine platforms and remote monitoring technologies enable healthcare providers to extend prenatal care and consultations to remote and underserved populations, improving access to specialised care.
2. Advances in Foetal Imaging: Innovations in foetal imaging modalities, such as 3D/4D ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and foetal echocardiography, enhance diagnostic accuracy and facilitate early detection of foetal anomalies.
3. Precision Medicine and Personalised Care: The emergence of precision foetal and neonatal  medicine approaches enables healthcare providers to tailor prenatal diagnosis, treatment plans, and neonatal interventions based on individual genetic profiles and clinical characteristics.
4. Community-Based Neonatal Care Programs: Community-based neonatal care initiatives, including kangaroo mother care programs and neonatal health outreach campaigns, empower families and communities to take an active role in newborn health and well-being.
5. Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Care Coordination: Enhanced collaboration between obstetricians, neonatologists, genetic counsellors, and other healthcare professionals facilitates comprehensive care coordination, ensuring seamless transitions across the continuum of care.

Essential Newborn Care

Below are the fundamental elements of essential newborn care, which encompass ensuring proper feeding, maintaining hygiene, regulating temperature, conducting health assessments, and providing necessary support to ensure the well-being and development of the newborn.

1. Thermal Protection:

• Maintaining a warm environment to prevent hypothermia by drying the newborn immediately after birth and wrapping them in a dry, warm cloth or placing them under a radiant warmer.

1. Early Initiation of Breastfeeding:

• Encouraging skin-to-skin contact between the newborn and the mother immediately after birth to promote bonding and initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of life.
• Providing guidance and support to mothers on proper breastfeeding techniques and positioning to ensure successful establishment of breastfeeding.

1. Infection Prevention:

• Ensuring hygienic practices during delivery and newborn care to reduce the risk of infection, including handwashing, clean delivery surfaces, and sterile equipment for cord care and injections.
• Administering prophylactic measures such as vitamin K injection and eye ointment to prevent infections and complications in the newborn.

1. Neonatal Resuscitation:

• Being prepared to provide immediate resuscitation measures, including stimulation, clearing the airway, providing positive pressure ventilation, and chest compressions if necessary, to address birth asphyxia and facilitate newborn transition.

1. Umbilical Cord Care:

• Promoting dry cord care by keeping the umbilical cord stump clean and dry, avoiding immersion in water, and monitoring for signs of infection or umbilical cord complications.

Conclusion

Essential newborn care forms the cornerstone of ensuring the health, well-being, and optimal development of newborns during the critical early stages of life. By prioritising thermal protection, early breastfeeding initiation, infection prevention, and vigilant monitoring, healthcare providers can lay the foundation for a healthy start. 

Moreover, timely interventions such as neonatal resuscitation, umbilical cord care, and vitamin K administration are vital for preventing complications and ensuring newborns thrive. Equally important is the provision of parental education and support, empowering caregivers to provide nurturing environments conducive to newborn growth and development.