ABSTRACT
The birth of a baby for any family is probably one of the most important life events. Every parent hopes for a safe and uneventful journey during this time. Approximately 750,000 babies are born each year in England, Scotland and Wales, and all of these babies will require a detailed ‘top-to-toe’ examination before 72 hours of age. This includes meticulous examination of the eyes and auscultation of the heart. During the examination after birth, the priorities are to highlight any immediate concerns or obvious signs of abnormality requiring the attention of a paediatrician and to facilitate an immediate medical review if required. The formal examination of the newborn is a screening process that, in addition to the newborn midwifery examination, offers further detection and reassurance that there are no abnormalities present at the point of examination. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
