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Each newborn baby is carefully checked at birth for signs of problems or complications.

A baby with hydrocephalus has extra fluid in and around the brain. Read on to learn more about this condition.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common problem in premature babies. It causes babies to need extra oxygen and help with breathing.

Hydrops fetalis is severe swelling (edema) in an unborn baby or a newborn baby. It is a life-threatening problem.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) happens in newborn babies. It occurs when a newborn’s circulation continues to flow as it did while in the uterus. When this happens, too much blood flow bypasses the baby’s lungs. This is sometimes called persistent fetal circulation.

Small for gestational age is a term used to describe babies that are smaller than normal for the number of weeks of pregnancy. These babies have birth weight below the 10th percentile. This means they are smaller than many other babies of the same gestational age.

Transient tachypnea of the newborn is a breathing problem that affects babies during the first hours of life. Transient means it is short-lived. Tachypnea means fast breathing rate. The problem often goes away on its own in about 3 days.

A biophysical profile is a test that is sometimes used during the third trimester of pregnancy. It is often done if there is a question about the baby’s health. This may be because of other test results or certain pregnancy symptoms, or because your pregnancy is high risk.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is what happens when babies are exposed to drugs in the uterus before birth. Babies can then go through drug withdrawal after birth.