What is Neonatology?
Neonatologists are doctors who provide care for newborn babies who need specialized medical help. These babies may be premature, sick, need surgery, or have injuries from birth. Neonatologists work in hospitals in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, where they have access to special equipment sized to fit very small babies. Although neonatologists mostly see patients after birth, they may occasionally attend deliveries. In some cases where a problem is diagnosed during pregnancy, a neonatologist may also consult with the OBGYN or perinatologist (high-risk obstetrician). Many of the problems that neonatologists treat are due to prematurity, where an infant is born before 37 weeks gestation. When infants are born prematurely, their bodies are often not developed enough to be able to cope with the world apart from their mother. Premature infants sometimes struggle with issues such as:- Breathing and lung problems, including apnea
- Temperature regulation
- Jaundice, a condition that causes yellowing of the skin (jaundice is common in newborns but can sometimes lead to serious complications)
- An underdeveloped digestive system, which poses a nutritional challenge
- An underdeveloped neurological system, which can lead to problems breathing, sucking, and swallowing
- Asphyxia, or a lack of oxygen, during birth
- Congenital birth abnormalities
- Infections such as pneumonia or meningitis
- Hyperbilirubinemia, or severe jaundice
- Injuries obtained during the birth process
- Bradycardia, or an unusually slow heartbeat
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