Newborn Services

After nine months of waiting, childbirth brings a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from extreme joy to concern about your newborn's health. As you transition from parent-to-be to new parent, nothing is more important than having trusted experts by your side for newborn health care. 

The newborn services team is here for you. Our caring providers help you welcome your baby with personalized, family-centered care to prepare you for a happy, healthy future together. And should your baby need specialized care, you'll have peace of mind knowing they'll receive the highest quality care available.

What Are Newborn Care Services?

Newborns need essential screening tests, procedures, and care in their first minutes, hours, and days of life. These are critical to ensure your baby gets a healthy start in life. 

UPMC's newborn care team provides your little one with thorough screening and care to prevent problems and treat any underlying health issues. 

What are neonatal care services?

Having a baby born prematurely or with health problems is frightening and stressful, so a trusted, specialized infant care team is vital. Our experienced, compassionate team of neonatal physicians is available 24/7 at our level II and III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).  

They work closely with pediatric subspecialists, including: 

• Cardiologists who specialize in problems related to your baby's heart.
• Gastroenterologists who specialize in digestive problems.
• Other pediatric specialists. 
• Pediatric surgeons for newborns that need an operation. 

You can count on UMPC's highly trained neonatal experts to provide your infant with state-of-the-art care and treatment in our NICUs. We will also ensure you have the support and information to care for your baby after discharge.

The NICU staff includes:

• Board-certified neonatologists.
• Neonatal nurse practitioners.
• Registered nurses.
• Respiratory therapists.
• Pharmacists.
• Lactation Consultants.
• Dietitians.
• Social Workers.
• Specially trained volunteers who will cuddle your baby when you are unavailable.

Our team focuses on delivering the highest level of clinical expertise and infant care in a family-centered atmosphere. 

What Newborn Care Services and Treatments Do You Offer?

Your baby will receive some tests immediately after birth. Other tests or procedures may happen over several hours or before you leave the hospital. Whenever possible, we perform examinations and procedures in your hospital room while you bond with your baby.

Screening services 

All newborns undergo these screening tests so your care team can identify potential health problems early. 

Apgar screening

A health care provider will do your baby's Apgar test at one and five minutes after birth.

The Apgar test scores your baby's:

• Appearance (skin color).
• Pulse.
• Grimace (reflex response).
• Activity and muscle tone.
• Respiration (breathing).

Apgar scores range from zero to 10. A score of seven or more suggests your baby is very healthy, but a lower score doesn't always signal a problem.

Some healthy babies have a low Apgar score in the first minute of life, but it reaches seven after five minutes. If the score does not improve, your baby may need medical care and close monitoring.

Critical congenital heart disease screening

Congenital heart disease is a heart problem or defect present at birth. Doctors may screen for congenital heart disease if your baby has symptoms like trouble breathing or a blueish tint to their lips or skin that worsens when they cry or eat. Early screening allows doctors to treat your baby and prevent heart-related problems as they grow.

Hearing screening

Your baby will have a hearing test before they leave the hospital. Hearing loss is hard to detect in babies and young children without a test. Early detection allows your baby to get help preventing speech, language, and learning delays. 

Bilirubin screening

Newborns have this test when they are 24 hours old. Bilirubin screenings check for high levels of bilirubin, a compound that causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). Your doctor may take a blood sample by pricking your baby's heel, or they may use a light test on the baby's forehead. 

Mild jaundice is common in newborns. If needed, doctors often treat it with phototherapy, exposing your baby to a special fluorescent light absorbed by their skin. Phototherapy changes the bilirubin into a form easily excreted in your baby's stool or urine.

Newborn metabolic screenings

Newborn metabolic screenings are blood tests to screen for rare inherited diseases that affect how your child's body turns food into energy or removes waste. Doctors obtain a small blood sample from your baby's heel to test for metabolic disorders. These are state-mandated tests that are required for every baby.

A physical exam

A physical exam includes measuring your newborn's weight, length, and head circumference to ensure they measure normal for their gestational age. Smaller, underweight, or very large babies may need special care. Your care team will also check your baby's temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate.  

Preventive procedures and services

These preventive newborn health services will help keep your baby healthy.

• Circumcision — Parents of boys may opt for this procedure to remove the foreskin, a fold of skin that covers the tip of the penis. Circumcision may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in the first year. Circumcised males may also be less likely to contract and spread sexually transmitted diseases later in life.  
• Eye medication — Newborns receive antibiotic eye drops or ointment shortly after birth to prevent infections that can cause blindness. The most common cause of newborn eye infection is bacteria in the mother's birth canal.
• Hepatitis B vaccine — The hepatitis B virus can cause lifelong infection, liver damage, or death. The hepatitis B vaccine prevents this infection with a series of shots that start before your baby leaves the hospital. They will need two more shots before they are 18 months old. 
• Vitamin K shot — Newborns usually have low levels of this vitamin in their blood, so they receive a vitamin K shot in their upper leg. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting; low levels can cause bleeding problems. 

Specialty services

UPMC offers a full range of specialty services to support infants and families where needed.

Breastfeeding support and lactation center 

For those who wish to breastfeed, our team of specially trained nurses and board-certified lactation consultants helps you get started shortly after delivery. They provide bedside support during your hospital stay and phone support or in-person visits once you and your baby are home.

Our lactation consultants provide research-backed information, advice, and tips to support you and your baby throughout your breastfeeding journey.

New parents may benefit from consults for these and other breastfeeding issues:

• Latch and positioning problems.
• Low or slow weight gain.
• Milk supply concerns or issues.
• Nursing multiples.
• Sore nipples.
• Transitioning pre-term infants to breast.

Care for substance-exposed newborns

Newborns exposed to opiates before birth will experience withdrawal symptoms after birth and require close monitoring. Eat, Sleep, Console is the model of care used when working with babies with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. We work with families to manage your baby's withdrawal symptoms and get a healthy start in life in a safe, supportive environment.

Infant development program 

Our child development professionals provide early intervention services for babies with disabilities or medical conditions. They also support parents and caregivers in helping children reach their fullest developmental potential from birth to age three.

Services include: 

• Assistive technology consultation.
• Behavioral support services.
• Hearing evaluations.
• Infant massage.
• Nutrition counseling.
• Parenting advice, resources, and support activities.
• Physical therapy.
• Toy and equipment lending program.

Experts provide services at home or in community settings at no cost to families who agree to participate in their county's public early intervention program. 

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Babies born early or with health problems receive advanced care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). UPMC hospitals have a level II NICU for babies needing specialized care and a level III NICU for critically ill and premature babies. 

Our highly trained neonatal specialists provide 24/7 care and treatment for a wide range of conditions.

These include:

• Anemia — This happens when your baby doesn't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. It is common in premature babies.
• Breathing problems — Premature babies often need help breathing because their lungs have not yet fully developed.
• Conditions affecting the brain or central nervous system — Pediatric neurologists and neurosurgeons can evaluate and treat children with brain, spine, or nerve problems.
• Eye problems — Your baby's vision and ability to focus on objects will develop with time, but sometimes, eye problems develop before birth.  
• Failure to thrive — Certain health conditions or feeding problems can cause growth or development problems in newborns or young children. 
• Feeding difficulties — Premature infants have a hard time sucking and swallowing, so they may need food through a tube in their nose.
• Heart conditions — Pediatric cardiologists can treat congenital heart defects with medications, procedures, or surgery. The type of heart condition a newborn has will determine the treatment.
• Infections — Newborns can develop infections before or during birth. Since their immune systems are immature, they may need medication and special care to help them fight the infection.
• Jaundice — Babies with severe jaundice that do not respond well to phototherapy may need a blood transfusion.
• Post-surgical care — Surgery on newborns is scary but more common than you might think. The NICU staff will carefully monitor babies who have had surgery to ensure they recover without complications. 
• Premature birth — Depending on their gestational age, premature babies can face challenges if they have underdeveloped organs. Babies born before 26 weeks may experience long-term disabilities. NICU specialists monitor premature infants very closely and provide breathing, nutrition, and any other support needed until your baby is stronger. 
• Stomach and digestive disorders — Problems with your baby's stomach or digestive tract can affect their ability to feed or absorb nutrients from breast milk or formula. They may need supplemental feeding through a tube or IV in their vein or surgery to correct the problem.

UPMC also provides Neonatal Developmental Follow-Up Care if needed after your baby leaves the NICU. 

This clinic is for children who may need:

• Access to early treatment programs.
• A central place to manage their complex health needs.
• Close monitoring of their growth and development.

Why Choose UPMC for Newborn Care?

UPMC Magee-Womens is a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health and a women's health care and research leader. With a world-class clinical team and facilities, we combine personalized, family-centered newborn services with outstanding medical care.

• We are a trusted partner in the community and deliver more than 10,000 babies each year. 
• Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is one of the largest in Pennsylvania. We care for more than 1,900 severely or critically ill babies a year.

---

Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.