ABSTRACT
Most pregnancies are free from complications, and the developing fetus grows strong and healthy in preparation for extrauterine life. Some babies are, however, already compromised as a result of hazardous exposure during pregnancy. Before the practitioner begins the examination of the neonate, she will take the essential step of reading the mother’s case notes and thus familiarising herself with the antenatal history. It will be in the light of this information that the baby is examined, and the practitioner will need to consider the implications of antenatal events for the mother and baby so that they can be anticipated. Some women may have spent months worrying about something that happened during the pregnancy and may look to the practitioner examining their baby for reassurance. This chapter will begin with a brief account of normal fetal development
to enable the reader to place in context the relevance of potential hazards, such as exposure to rubella, during pregnancy. It will then discuss in more detail the major known antenatal risk factors, giving the practitioner a quick guide to their potential effects. Such knowledge will equip the reader with the ability to reassure and inform parents when they seek advice during the first examination of their baby.
