The Iowa Neonatology Handbook is an ongoing effort by the Division of Neonatology at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital to provide physicians, nurses, and medical students who care for newborn infants a collection of protocols outlining rational approaches to the care of critically ill neonates. This document is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the field of neonatology, nor is it implied that the therapeutic approaches outlined in this book are established policies or standards of care. Rather, they represent a compilation of the experience and clinical styles of the members of our division and are intended only as a guide to therapy.
The Iowa Neonatology Handbook represents an ongoing effort by the Division of Neonatology at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital to provide physicians, nurses, and medical students who care for newborn infants a collection of protocols outlining rational approaches to the care of critically ill neonates. In no way is this document a comprehensive review of the field of neonatology, nor is it implied that the therapeutic approaches outlined in this book are established policies or standards of care. Rather, they represent a compilation of the experience and clinical styles of the members of our division and are intended only as a guide to therapy.
This monograph should be regarded as an educational document. Some of the information provided will be outdated by the time you discover it; other information is subject to controversy. The Handbook is designed only to supplement and not to replace the education gained from the teaching of the faculty and fellows and the experience of taking care of infants in the neonatal ICU.
The Handbook was added to the Virtual Hospital® site in 2003 so that it would be more widely available and could be updated by section as needed. The material contained in the first on-line draft was taken from the 1995 printed edition. The date of the last revision is shown on each page. The Handbook is a document that has evolved over many years, since the first edition appeared in the early 1980s. The current product, which continues to evolve, has been built upon the efforts of many present and former faculty members and fellows, as well as nurses and residents who wrote, reviewed or edited sections of this book. The transition from printed to on-line format could not have been accomplished without the technical contributions of Nola Riley and Mark Hart.
Authors
Jonathan Klein, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Edward F. Bell, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
First Published: November 8, 1994
Peer Review Status: Internally peer reviewed annually
Contributing authors
- Michael J. Acarregui
- Valerie Bailey
- Edward F. Bell
- Susan J. Carlson
- John M. Dagle
- Diane L. Eastman
- Thomas N. George
- Janet F. Geyer
- Charles Grose
- Herman A. Hein
- Ronald V. Keech
- Jonathan M. Klein
- Maria A. Lofgren
- Jon E. Mazursky
- Lou Ann Montgomery
- Chetan A. Patel
- Jeffrey L. Segar
- Mark W. Thompson
- John A. Widness
- Ekhard E. Ziegler
NOTE: international editions indicating that the material therein has not been updated as recently as the English edition.
Edward F. Bell, MD, John M. Dagle, MD PhD, and Numra Aleem, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed - 2/13/12, 8/10/2022
AA: amino acids
A/B - apnea/bradycardia spell (episode of apnea and/or bradycardia)
A/B/D - apnea/bradycardia/oxygen desaturation spell
ABG - arterial blood gas
aEEG - amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram
AGA - appropriate for gestational age
AKI - acute kidney injury
ARNP - advanced registered nurse practitioner (PNP or NNP)
ASD - atrial septal defect
ATC: admission and transfer center
BBT - baby's blood type
BE - base excess, MD
BF - breast fed or breast feeding
BM - bowel movement or breast milk
BMZ - betamethasone
BP - blood pressure
BPD - bronchopulmonary dysplasia
BW: birth weight
CBF - cerebral blood flow
CBG - capillary blood gas
CDH - congenital diaphragmatic hernia
CFM - cerebral function monitor
CHD - congenital heart disease or congenital hip dysplasia
CHF - congestive heart failure
CLABSI - central line-associated bloodstream infection
CMA - chromosomal microarray analysis
CMV - cytomegalovirus
CNM - certified nurse midwife
CNS - central nervous system
CP: cerebral palsy
CPAP - continuous positive airway pressure
CPH - chronic pulmonary hypertension
C/S - cesarean section
CSF - cerebrospinal fluid
CVN - central venous nutrition
CVP - central venous pressure
CXR - chest x-ray
D10: dextrose concentration 10%
DAT - direct antibody test
DBP - diastolic blood pressure
DIC - disseminated intravascular coagulation
DNR - do not resuscitate
DOL: day of life
DR - delivery room
DSD - disorder of sexual development
ECMO - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
ECG/EKG: electrocardiogram
ECHO: echocardiogram
EEG - electroencephalogram
ELBW - extremely low birth weight
ENT: ear, nose, throat
ETC - emergency treatment center
ETT - endotracheal tube
FISH - fluorescence in situ hybridization
FOC - fronto-occipital circumference
FTP - failure to progress
G-P- - gravida ____para____ (pregnancies; pregnancies resulting in the livebirth of ≥ one child)
GA - gestational age
GBS - group B streptococcus
GIR - glucose infusion rate
Hgb/Hb - hemoglobin
HC - head circumference
HCT - hematocrit
HFJV - high-frequency jet ventilation
HFV - high-frequency ventilation
HFOV - high-frequency oscillating ventilation
HIE - hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
HM - human milk
HMF - human milk fortifier (makes breast milk 0.8 kcal/cc)
HMO - human milk oligosaccharide
HUS - head ultrasound
IAB or IAb - induced abortion
IDM - infant of diabetic mother
IMV - intermittent mandatory ventilation
iNO - inhaled nitric oxide
IUFD - intrauterine fetal demise
IUGR - intrauterine growth restriction
IVF - in-vitro fertilization
IVH - intraventricular hemorrhage
IVIG: intravenous immunoglobulin
L+D/L&D - Labor and Delivery
LGA - large for gestational age
LLSB - lower left sternal border
LMA - laryngeal mask airway
LP - lumbar puncture
LPM - liter per minute
LSB - left sternal border
MAP - mean airway pressure
MAS - meconium aspiration syndrome
MBP - mean blood pressure
MBT - mother's blood type
MCL - midclavicular line
MGF - maternal grandfather
MGM - maternal grandmother
MRI - magnetic resonance imaging
NAD –no apparent distress
NAS - neonatal abstinence syndrome
NAVA - neurally adjusted ventilatory assistance
NC - nasal cannula
NEC - necrotizing enterocolitis
NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
NIRS - near infrared spectroscopy
NNP - neonatal nurse practitioner
NNS - neonatal screen (newborn metabolic screen)
NO - nitric oxide
NPCPAP - nasopharyngeal continuous positive airway pressure
NPO - nothing by mouth (nil per os)
NRP - neonatal resuscitation program
NS: normal saline
NSG: neurosurgery
NSIMV - nasopharyngeal synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation
NTD - neural tube defect
NVN - neonatal venous nutrition (local term, not recommended for external communication)
O2: oxygen
OG - orogastric tube
OI - oxygenation index
OR: operating room
PAC: premature atrial contraction
PC - pressure control
PCO2 - partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PCP - primary care provider
PDA - patent ductus arteriosus
PEA - pulseless electrical activity
PEEP - peak end expiratory pressure
PF - premature infant formula
PFO - patent foramen ovale
PGE1 - prostaglandin E1
PGF - paternal grandfather
PGM - paternal grandmother
PICC - percutaneously inserted central catheter
PIE - pulmonary interstitial emphysema
PIH - pregnancy induced hypertension
PIP - peak inspiratory pressure
PIV - peripheral intravenous line
PKU - phenylketonuria, a disease detected on the NNS
PMI - point of maximum impulse
PNC - prenatal care
PNP - pediatric nurse practitioner
PO2 - partial pressure of oxygen
PPH - persistent pulmonary hypertension
PPHN - persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
PPROM - preterm premature rupture of membranes
PPS - peripheral pulmonic stenosis
PPV - positive pressure ventilation
PRBCs - packed red blood cells (concentrated erythrocyte suspension for transfusion)
PROM - premature rupture of membranes or prolonged rupture of membranes
PS - pressure support
PTL - preterm labor
PVC: premature ventricular contraction
PVL - periventricular leukomalacia
PVN - parenteral venous nutrition or peripheral venous nutrition
PVR - pulmonary vascular resistance
RA - room air (21% oxygen)/right atrium
RAL: radial arterial line
RCM - right costal margin
RCT - randomized controlled trial
RDS - respiratory distress syndrome
ROM - rupture of membranes OR range of motion
ROP - retinopathy of prematurity
RSV - respiratory syncytial virus
RT: respiratory therapist
SAB or SAb - spontaneous abortion
SBP - systolic blood pressure
SF - stock formula or standard formula (iron-fortified term infant formula)
SGA - small for gestational age
SIMV - synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation
SIP - spontaneous ileal perforation
SO2 - oxygen saturation
SSRI - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
SVD - spontaneous vaginal delivery
SVT - supraventricular tachycardia
TcB - transcutaneous bilirubin
TCM - transcutaneous monitor (for PO2, PCO2)
TEF - tracheoesophageal fistula
TG - true glucose (more appropriately called blood glucose)
TLA - Three letter acronym
TPN - total parenteral nutrition
TTN - transient tachypnea of the newborn
TTTS - twin-twin transfusion syndrome
UAC - umbilical arterial catheter
UDS - urine drug screen
US or U/S: ultrasound
UTI - urinary tract infection
UVC - umbilical venous catheter
VBG - venous blood gas
VLBW - very low birth weight baby
VSD - ventricular septal defect
VS - vital signs
- Iowa Neonatology Handbook Home
- Cardiology: NICU Handbook
- Feeding: NICU Handbook
- Fluid management: NICU Handbook
- Gastrointestinal: NICU Handbook
- General: NICU Handbook
- Hematology: NICU Handbook
- Infection: NICU Handbook
- Jaundice: NICU Handbook
- Metabolic: NICU Handbook
- Neurology: NICU Handbook
- Pharmacology: NICU Handbook
- Procedures: NICU Handbook
- Pulmonary: NICU Handbook
- Temperature: NICU Handbook