Neonatology Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards for reviewing key terms and concepts in neonatology.

Gestational Age

The age of a fetus or newborn, typically measured in weeks from the last menstrual period or through obstetric methods.

Dubowitz Score

A scoring system used to determine the gestational age of a newborn by clinical assessment.

Ballard Score

A simplified version of the Dubowitz Score used to assess gestational age in newborns; does not require the infant to be alert.

Extreme preterm

Infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation.

Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW)

Infants weighing less than 1500 grams at birth.

Small for Gestational Age (SGA)

Infants whose birth weight is below the 10th percentile for their gestational age.

Appropriate for Gestational Age (AGA)

Infants whose birth weight is between the 10th and 90th percentiles for their gestational age.

Large for Gestational Age (LGA)

Infants whose birth weight is above the 90th percentile for their gestational age.

Resuscitation

A process of restoring breathing and circulation in newborns who are not breathing or have a low heart rate at birth.

Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

A type of brain injury that occurs when an infant's brain doesn't receive enough oxygen and blood.

Neonatal Sepsis

A life-threatening condition caused by an infection in the newborn, typically characterized by the presence of pathogens in the blood.

Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC)

A serious gastrointestinal problem that mostly affects premature infants, involving inflammation and bacterial invasion of the bowel.

Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia (HH)

A condition in which an infant has low blood sugar levels due to excessive insulin production.

Apnoea

A temporary cessation of breathing, often occurring in newborns.

Jitteriness

A common, benign state in newborns characterized by tremor; can be mistaken for seizures.

Bilirubin

A yellow compound that occurs in the normal catabolic pathway that breaks down heme in red blood cells; high levels can lead to jaundice.

Phototherapy

A treatment for jaundice that uses light to break down bilirubin in the blood.

Normal saline

A sterile solution of sodium chloride in water used for intravenous therapy.