Newborn resuscitation

The first few minutes of a neonate's life may be the most critical time to ensure a favorable future. This article reviews the unique nature of newborn resuscitation, highlighting the differences in the anatomy and physiology that may impact resuscitation of a newborn versus an older patient. Recent changes in the guidelines for newborn resuscitation published by the American Heart Association are addressed and discussed. These changes include avoidance of hyperthermia, initiation of chest compressions only when the baby's heart rate is less than 60 bpm, and removal of the recommendation to suction the trachea in vigorous newborns stained with meconium./b]