Turn and face the strange – ch..ch..ch..changes to neonatal resuscitation guidelines in the past decade

Abstract

Resuscitation of newborns has been described since ancient times and is among the most commonly performed emergency medical interventions. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation first made recommendations on resuscitation in newborns in 1999. Over the last decade, new research and careful review of the available evidence have resulted in substantial changes to these recommendations - in particular, regarding the assessment of colour, giving supplemental oxygen, suctioning infants born through meconium-stained liquor, confirming endotracheal tube position, the use of pulse oximetry, giving CPAP to premature infants, keeping preterm infants warm using polyethylene wrapping and cooling term infants with encephalopathy. This process has also highlighted the paucity of evidence to support much of the care given to infants in the delivery room and the need for research to refine our techniques.