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Even with the advent of ways to monitor a fetus’ health and maturation, some things just aren’t known until the child has been delivered. Below is a description of various tests and vaccinations they will receive within an hour of birth.

When a child is born an evaluation of its appearance, grimace, pulse, respirations and activity is made. A score is given to each item ranging from 0 to 2. A ten score is perfect. Most babies score 8 to 9. This score indicates how well the baby is doing outside the womb. A child with a score of 3 or less needs help fast. Another test given is a hearing test. Due to the difficulty of detecting hearing loss in infants, this test done with a probe measure brain waves which can indicate congenital hearing loss. This test which is done within 48 hours allows for earlier intervention if it’s needed. A metabolic-disorders screening is also done by getting blood from the babies heel for analysis. Any metabolic disorder noted can be treated promptly since some can cause mental retardation if left alone. There are at least 50 disorders that are tested for within the first 24 to 48 hours of life. Also a hepatitis B vaccine is given to prevent the spread of this disease as is a shot of Vitamin K. Babies are generally Vitamin K deficient and as a result can have blood clotting problems. These babies risk bleeding, that may become serious. As a precaution most babies are given this injection as a precaution. Finally all babies are assessed for jaundice due to bilirubin buildup in the blood. Bilirubin is broken down by the liver, but since newborn livers don’t work well, a buildup may occur. Fifty to sixty percent of all babies have this and many are placed under “lights” to help eliminate this substance. If left unchecked serious conditions such as deafness, cerebral palsy and brain damage may occur. It needs to be checked every few days by a pediatrician to assess how well the bilirubin in being removed and recommendations can be made if its removal isn’t progressing as expected.

Overall all of the tests are benign, yet life saving. There are very few side effects and all will help result in a happier and healthier baby. The first week of life is critical for the newborn. Getting through that will set the foundation for a healthy life.