Newborn Examination

Video tools and PDF document tools detailing the recommended method of examining a newborn infant

WHO Newborn Surface Examination

This video shows how to assess a newborn for birth defects. Sometimes, birth defects can be linked to drug exposure during the pregnancy. However, early assessment for birth defects through newborn screening can also show that a treatment need not be contraindicated in pregnancy, because it has no risk for adverse outcomes. This screening can help get life-saving treatments to the mother, child or both. The training for this DVD was carried out by Prof Lewis Holmes, who trained Ghanaian nurse/midwives in a small facility outside Accra. After training, the health workers were filmed carrying out the assessments themselves. This DVD, developed by the World Health Organization through TDR and the Reproductive Health and Research Programme has been successfully used to train other health workers in five countries (four in Africa and one in South America). It supports a new protocol for a pregnancy registry.

Learn more

For French captions of the video, please click here and choose CC in the bottom bar to obtain the French captions.

Intergrowth 21st Project - Head circumference training video

The International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century, or INTERGROWTH-21st, is a global, multidisciplinary network of more than 300 researchers and clinicians from 27 institutions in 18 countries worldwide. They are dedicated to improving perinatal health globally and committed to reducing the millions of preventable newborn deaths that occur as a result of preterm birth or poor intrauterine growth. Their training video demonstrates the correct and standardised method of measuring the head circumference of a newborn.

Learn more

USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Zika Video Resources - Head circumference training video

Scroll down to the bottom of this CDC page to find the video "Measuring Infant Head Circumference:  An Instructional Video for Health Care Providers" in Spanish, Italian, French, and Creole languages.  This video demonstrates how to measure the head circumference of an infant. Measuring head circumference is a primary way to determine the presence of microcephaly. 

Learn more

National Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India - Comprehensive Newborn Screening

This handbook has been developed for field-level healthcare workers positioned at delivery points to serve as a ready reference for conducting screening of visible birth defects and their reporting.  The document has four main sections:  identification, recording & reporting, initial management, and counselling for parents. 

Learn more

International Inderdisciplinary Consensus Meeting on the Evaluation of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Learn more

Pulse Oximetry Screening

Pulse Oximetry screening is an important screening for critical congenital heart disease. This video, from the Popsicle study in South Africa, explains the point of view of clinicians and parents.

POPSiCLe YouTube - YouTube