Introduction
After birth, a newborn may have a number of problems. Some problems may be due to difficulties during the birthing process; many of these problems affect the newborn's ability to breathe properly. A newborn may be bigger or smaller than usual or suffer from problems affecting blood, such as the levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood being too high or too low. Birth defects may be present (see Section 23, Chapter 266). A newborn may have problems due to the mother's health and health habits, such as smoking or use of alcohol or drugs (especially those given immediately before birth (see Section 22, Chapter 259)). Infection may pass from mother to child, either during pregnancy or during delivery.
Doctors may be able to anticipate many problems by monitoring fetal growth and development, particularly using ultrasound. Many newborns with problems are cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
 See the sidebar What Is a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit?
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