Volume 13, Issue 9: Newborn life support in preterm birth – supporting the smallest lives

Newborn life support in preterm birth – supporting the smallest lives

It’s a crisp early autumn morning as you begin your shift, a call comes in straight away to a 38-year-old female having her 5th baby, 26 weeks pregnant with an urge to push. On arrival her partner meets you ‘I think it’s coming – it’s far too early!”. His eyes are wide, and he is clearly panicked.

CPD benefit

Preterm birth is birth occurring before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Around 8% of babies in the UK are born preterm. This article looks at the updated JRCALC Newborn Life Support guidance. It highlights the key points and changes from the previous guideline framework including how to set up for birth, thermoregulation, the timing of cord clamping and airway management. It also emphasises the importance of establishing good communication with the parents and carrying out a full post incident debrief. Ensuring your knowledge and skills are up-to-date will help you to deal more confidently with these very challenging situations and provide the best possible care for the newborn and their family.