The role of the routine neonatal examination

BMJ 1999;318:619-620 ( 6 March )

Editorials

The role of the routine neonatal examination

It has many aims, few of them evaluated

Papers p 627

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Mothers meticulously inspect their newborn infants,¹ but, because health professionals think they can do it better, routineneonatal examination is universally accepted as good practice.²Is this really useful and, if it is, should infants be examinedtwice or is once enough? No one has yet been brave enough to addressthe first question with a randomised trial. As to the second,common sense suggests that a second examination might occasionallydetect a problem missed at the first one, but a study from Aberdeennow tells us firmly that one is sufficient (p 627).³ If thereare any benefits from a second examination, they were too smallto be detected in a sample of 10 000 babies, though the studylacked the power confidently to compare outcomes for congenitaldislocation of the hip and serious heartdisease.

Medical staff shortages often delay discharge after childbirth until the baby can be . . . [Full text of this article]

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Wolke, D, Dave, S, Hayes, J, Townsend, J, Tomlin, M (2002). Routine examination of the newborn and maternal satisfaction: a randomised controlled trial. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 86: F155-F160 [Abstract] [Full text]
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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Neonatal examination - time for a change: David Walker
bmj.com, 8 Mar 1999 [Full text]
Broader criteria should be used to evaluate the role of neonatal examination: S P Leung
bmj.com, 10 Mar 1999 [Full text]