In pregnancy and during labor, your health care provider will check your unborn baby’s heart rate and other functions. Monitoring can be done on the outside of your belly (external monitoring). Or it may be done directly on the baby while inside your uterus (internal monitoring). Fetal monitoring is a very common procedure.

Fetal blood sampling is a procedure to take a small amount of blood from an unborn baby (fetus) during pregnancy. Fetal blood sampling is usually done by a perinatologist with special training. This is a healthcare provider who specializes in the care of babies in high-risk pregnancies.

Tetanus is a severe illness of the central nervous system caused by bacteria. It's not contagious. It can be prevented by a vaccine.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an ongoing (chronic) infection caused by bacteria. It usually infects the lungs. But the kidneys, spine, and brain may also be affected.

Scarlet fever is an infectious disease that causes a rash. It is caused by the same kind of bacteria that cause strep throat.

Rubella is a viral illness that causes a mild fever and a skin rash. It is also called German measles, but is not caused by the same virus that causes measles (rubeola).

Detailed information on the most common neuromuscular disorders in children

Detailed information on the most common neurological disorders in the newborn

Pre-existing heart disease is a heart problem that you had before you got pregnant. This often means a heart condition that you were born with (congenital). These can include heart problems that may have been fixed. It can also include heart valve issues.

Is it time for your baby to have a full physical exam? Your pediatrician might want to conduct a neurological exam. Don't worry, this series of tests designed to evaluate your child's nervous system is painless. Here's what it entails.