As a pediatrician, I am frequently asked about what went on during your childbirth hospital stay. As examples, “Why did my baby get this vaccine?” or “Why did they poke my baby’s heel so many times?” The hospital stay can feel like a blur, and often there isn’t ample time for routine tests and procedures to be explained in detail. So, let’s review some of the most common screenings and vaccines offered for your newborn soon after their birth.
1. Hepatitis B vaccine: If your baby is big enough (4.4 lbs. or greater), your medical team will advise giving a dose of the safe and effective Hepatitis B vaccine in the first 24 hours of life. This is because it is possible for your baby to be exposed at the time of delivery if you are Hepatitis B positive. If exposed and unvaccinated, it is almost certain your baby will contract this potentially fatal disease.
2. Newborn hearing screen: Your baby will be offered a screening test to assess their hearing. The test is quick, painless and noninvasive. There are many babies who do not pass their newborn hearing test who can hear perfectly well. This is because the test can be impacted by ambient sound, fluid near or in the ears, or a fussy baby.
3. Congenital heart disease screen: Before discharge, your nursery team will also check your baby’s oxygen levels in the right hand and foot to screen for certain congenital heart conditions. This test only takes a few minutes.
4. Newborn metabolic screen: Your baby will have a heel stick blood test to test for several serious diseases right after birth. The goal is to identify these conditions early as many of them are treatable.
5. Jaundice test: Most babies have jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Jaundice occurs due to a buildup of bilirubin in the body, which results from the normal process of red blood cells turning over to make new ones. Normally the liver clears bilirubin from the system, but it takes time before that happens efficiently in newborns. This is why your baby will have their bilirubin checked before discharge, and possibly again when they see their pediatrician.
Dr. Erin McMahon
Physician in Charge