Conditions

Apnea is a term for the absence of breathing for more than 20 seconds. It can occur in full-term babies, but is more common in premature babies. The more premature the baby, the greater the chances that apnea will occur.

Meconium aspiration syndrome occurs when a baby breathes in amniotic fluid containing meconium (a baby's first stools), which your health care provider will check for at birth. Read about this condition.

Babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are considered premature or born too early. Learn more about premature infants.

Retinopathy of prematurity is a problem of the blood vessels of the retina. Learn more about this condition.

Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is a term for a mild respiratory problem of babies that begins after birth and lasts about three days. Learn more about this condition.

An omphalocele is a birth defect in which some of the abdominal organs protrude through an opening in the abdominal muscles in the area of the umbilical cord. A translucent membrane covers the protruding organs.

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is excessive fluid in and around the brain. It occurs from a lack of absorption, blockage of flow, or overproduction of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) that's made inside the ventricles. Learn more about this condition.

Sepsis is a term for severe infection that is present in the blood and spreads throughout the body. Learn more about this condition.

Neuromuscular disorders include the muscular dystrophies, inflammation of muscle (myositis), spinal muscular atrophies, myasthenia gravis and neuropathies. Learn more about these conditions.

There are several neurological disorders affecting newborns that require clinical care by a doctor or other health care professional. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is bleeding inside or around the ventricles, the spaces in the brain containing the cerebral spinal fluid. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by the death or damage and softening of the white matter of the brain. Learn about these conditions.