Neonatal infection

Neonatal infections are infections of the newborn acquired during prenatal development or within the first four weeks of life. They may be contracted by mother to child transmission, in the birth canal during childbirth, or after birth, and they may appear soon after delivery or take several weeks to show symptoms. Signs may include respiratory distress, temperature instability, irritability, poor feeding, failure to thrive, persistent crying and skin rashes. Risk factors include previous maternal infection, preterm delivery and premature rupture of membranes, and preterm or low birth weight infants are more vulnerable. Antibiotics can be effective when the pathogen is identified quickly, and treatment in industrialized countries takes place in the neonatal intensive care unit. The record here describes the condition as medicine understands it and is not medical advice.