neonatologi

Neonatology is a medical subspecialty of pediatrics devoted to the care of newborn infants, especially those who are ill or born prematurely. The field focuses on the stabilization, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions presenting in the first days to weeks of life, often within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Neonatal care encompasses a wide range of disorders, including respiratory distress, sepsis, congenital anomalies, metabolic and genetic conditions, jaundice, and complications of prematurity. Management relies on a multidisciplinary team and may involve respiratory support such as nasal CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and mechanical ventilation, surfactant therapy, nutritional support (parenteral and enteral nutrition), infection prevention, imaging, and laboratory monitoring. Therapeutic hypothermia may be used for certain hypoxic-ischemic injuries, and discussions about goals of care and palliative options can occur in complex cases.

Training in neonatology requires completing medical school, pediatrics residency, and a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship, along with ongoing research and quality-improvement activities. The field has advanced with improvements in survival and outcomes for preterm and critically ill newborns, while long-term neurodevelopmental and family impacts remain important areas of study. Research topics include respiratory strategies, infection prevention, nutrition optimization, neurodevelopment, and policies to support families and ethical decision-making.